Kirk Cousins Shares Message He Delivered to Michael Penix Jr. After Injury

ATLANTA, Ga. -- From an injury perspective, the signal-callers in the Atlanta Falcons quarterback room, Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr., have gone through it in recent years. If there's anything positive to take from that fact, it's that they can share in their rehab experiences.

In an exclusive interview with SI on Friday, veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins suggested Penix knows the drill when it comes to returning from a lower-body injury rehab. Cousins, though, did have an encouraging message for the second-year quarterback.

"He's seen first hand when you can rehab this injury well and come back strong, how there's so much great football ahead. That's really my message to him," Cousins said. "His best football is ahead of him. There's so much to look forward to.

"While this is an unfortunate bump in the road, I think he will be looking back many years from now and see it as that -- a bump in the road that didn't derail all the great football that's ahead of him."

Kirk Cousins Hypes Michael Penix Jr.'s Rehab Experience

Cousins and Penix arrived in Atlanta during the same offseason a year and a half ago. But Cousins has 12 more years of NFL experience. During his first season in Atlanta, he was also returning from an Achilles tendon tear.

Naturally, that could make Cousins a sounding board for Penix in his own rehab process.

But unfortunately, Penix is no stranger to going through injury recoveries. He sustained two ACL tears during his college career.

For that reason, Cousins sees the young signal-caller drawing on his own experiences more than any wisdom he can pass on.

"Mike has actually done the same injury on the other knee," Cousins said. "So, if there's anyone who knows how to get through it, it's him.

"His own story is a great testament to just staying the course. He had the injury in college, came back, played for a national championship, was a Heisman finalist, was a top 10 draft pick."

Penix suffered his first ACL tear in his right knee as a freshman in 2018. The quarterback sustained the same injury in his right knee again during 2020.

Upper-body injuries sidelined Penix for the season in 2019 and 2021 as well. But as Cousins mentioned, Penix returned healthy and then experienced incredible success. Penix recorded a pair of 4,500-yard passing seasons for Washington. In 2023, he led the Huskies to a national championship game appearance.

Penix exited Week 11 of this season with a left knee injury. The young-signal caller underwent season-ending surgery to repair a partially torn ACL in his left knee.

Cousins Partners With Mercedes Benz in 'Holidays for Love' Campaign for City of Refuge

Cousins met with SI on Friday to promote the community service he is performing this holiday season.

Mercedes Benz announced on December 10 that the company will give away 12 eSprinter vans across the United States as part of the "Holidays with Love" campaign. Cousins is one of 12 participants Mercedes Benz has chosen to be ambassadors in the campaign.

As an ambassador, Cousins received the opportunity to donate one eSprinter van to the organization of his choice. The quarterback selected City of Refuge in Atlanta.

"Mercedes has been a great partner since moving to Atlanta. They do this Holidays for Love campaign where they're willing to partner with their ambassadors to be very generous," Cousins said. "There are several great organizations that we've discovered and worked with in Atlanta. But the one that came to mind for us was City of Refuge."

Located just a few blocks away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, City of Refuge "seeks to lead individuals and families on an uninterrupted journey to self-sufficiency." The program focuses on health and wellness, housing, job training and youth development to achieve that mission.

Mercedes Benz created the "Holidays with Love" concept in 2023. In addition to Cousins, Bijan Robinson and Matt Ryan were two other participating ambassadors.

Robinson and Ryan selected Atlanta Public Schools and Raising Expectations Inc., respectively, as their organizations to receive the Mercedes eSprinter van.