In NFL Return, Penix Reminded Everyone Where He Comes From

Ten months after suffering a season-ending knee injury, It took a while for Michael Penix Jr. to settle in again as the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback while facing the Green Bay Packers in his return to football on Thursday Night Football.

The former University of Washington signal-caller rightly so was a little rusty in the beginning, missing on four of his first five passes, including throwing an interception.

It also took a while for the Amazon Prime Video TV booth to reacquaint itself with Penix, with long-time broadcaster Al Michaels making a major faux pas by suggesting the lefty had spent his final two college seasons at Oregon after beginning his career with four years at Indiana.

His partner Kirk Herbstreit was quick to correct this stumble by Michaels, who seemed a little flustered after realizing what he had done, and loudly enunciated "Huskies" as if to show his national audience he knew better.

With that, Penix settled in, got into a serious groove in the pocket and had a highly productive outing behind center -- as if he were back with the Huskies once more -- and guided the Falcons to a 35-14 victory in Green Bay and the team's first win in three outings.

Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9), the former Husky QB, calls out a defense against the Packers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penix finished with 18-for-25 passing for 256 yards and a score, and that early pass theft. He threw nine times to receiver Drake London for 194 yards and handed off to Bijan Robinson Jr. 29 times for another 194 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns.

It was just like throwing repeatedly to Rome Odunze and putting the ball over and over in the midsection of Dillon Johnson while he was at the UW. Big numbers. Big moments. Big stuff all around.

Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9), the ex-Husky, lets go with a pass against Green Bay. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

With Jake Browning now out of football, Penix is the only one-time Husky quarterback drawing an NFL paycheck, as he's now in his third season with the Falcons after leading the UW to the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game against Michigan.

No, Penix never attended Oregon. Never spent more than a couple of days in Eugene. Never had his own Animal House with a fleabag couch to sit on and put up his feet.

He just beat those pesky Ducks three times in close encounters over his two seasons at Washington, each time besting quarterback Bo Nix, who's now starting for the Denver Broncos, in high-volume rivalry encounters.

He went from Bloomington straight to Montlake to Atlanta in his high-profile career, and that's on the record.

Chances are Al Michaels won't make that baffling on-air geographical mistake once more.

Add us as a preferred source on Google