Falcons Injury Report: Penix Set to Start, Concerning Status for Terrell

The Atlanta Falcons released their first injury report of Week 3 on Monday as they prepare for a short week and a Thursday night matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

The biggest development is at quarterback, where Michael Penix Jr. was listed as a full participant with his knee injury. Penix is set to make his first start of the 2026 season Thursday night after the Falcons announced Monday that he will take over as the team’s starting quarterback.

Penix missed the first two games while continuing his recovery from the ACL injury that ended his 2025 season. His full participation Monday is another indication that the Falcons believe he is ready to return to game action.

The quarterback situation is particularly important for Atlanta after Cooper Rush started the first two games and the Falcons struggled offensively. Atlanta scored just 16 points through two games before suffering a 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Tua Tagovailoa also took a step forward. The veteran quarterback was listed as a limited participant with an oblique injury. It marks the first time Tagovailoa has been listed as anything other than a non-participant since suffering the injury in Week 1. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Tagovailoa is “getting better.”

Atlanta also received positive news on defensive back Billy Bowman Jr., who was listed as a full participant while dealing with an Achilles injury.

Several other players were limited, including defensive end Brandon Dorlus with a thumb injury, tight end Nick Muse with a shoulder injury, running back Brian Robinson Jr. with an ankle injury and offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor with a rib injury.

The more concerning developments came on the defensive side.

Defensive end Samson Ebukam did not participate because of a hamstring injury, while cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. also did not participate because of a groin injury.

Terrell’s status is worth monitoring closely given his role in Atlanta’s secondary. The Falcons are already dealing with a short week, meaning the team has less time than usual to recover before traveling to Green Bay.

It is also important to note that Monday’s report is an estimate. The Falcons held a walkthrough rather than a full practice, so participation levels were estimated by the team.

Falcons Estimated Injury Report

Full Participation

Michael Penix Jr. | QB | Knee
Billy Bowman Jr. | CB | Achilles

Limited Participation

Brandon Dorlus | DE | Thumb
Nick Muse | TE | Shoulder
Brian Robinson Jr. | RB | Ankle
Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Oblique
Jawaan Taylor | OT | Rib

Did Not Participate

Samson Ebukam | DE | Hamstring

A.J. Terrell Jr. | CB | Groin

With Penix now cleared for a full practice workload and officially taking over as the starter, his progression will be one of the primary storylines for Atlanta heading into Thursday night’s game. Meanwhile, the Falcons will need to monitor Terrell and Ebukam closely with only a few days remaining before kickoff.

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