Michael Penix Jr. Details Path to Playing Time for Atlanta Falcons

As the Atlanta Falcons move through their offseason programs, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. continues to progress through his rehab. Just seven months ago, Penix Jr. suffered a partial ACL tear in his left knee after taking a hit in the backfield.

Penix Jr. and coach Kevin Stefanski provided updates on his injury during media availability this week. The former eighth overall pick is doing individual drills and 7-on-7 work but is still being held out of 11-on-11 as a precaution.

Penix Jr. is itching to get back on the field, but knows he needs to listen to the medical staff to have the best chance to play week one.

“If it was up to me, I'd go out there and do everything,” Penix Jr. said. “I’d do 11-on-11 now. But that's obviously not the smart thing. Just understanding it’s more than just my want to play. Obviously, I’ve got to care about my body and my future as well.”

This is a dilemma coaches and medical staff have dealt with forever. Players want to get back on the field, and will feel good before they are 100% recovered. Stefanski understands the importance of listening to the experts.

“I think for any player, it's our job oftentimes to protect the player from the player,” Stefanski said. “I'm not a medical expert, so I lean on our experts, and I take their lead in terms of what any player rehabbing is able to do.”

Penix Jr. has been slowly ramping up the volume and intensity of his drills and 7-on-7 work, and Stefanski said he is very comfortable with where the quarterback is in his recovery. Penix Jr. himself added that he is right where he needs to be in the process.

The ultimate goal of Penix Jr., Stefanski, and the medical staff is to have him ready to go for Week 1 of the season.

“We’re just working, trying to take it one day at a time and just control what I can control now,” Penix Jr. said. “That's just making sure I'm doing everything I can to make sure my body is ready for the Week 1 game.”

Quarterback coach Alex Van Pelt said last week that it is hard to fairly evaluate and have a real quarterback competition when the two players are not competing in the same drills. Penix Jr.’s recovery certainly makes the position battle more difficult for the coaching staff, but it is still early in the offseason.

“We're not giving out any jobs in June,” Stefanski said. “As a team, we have to realize, and the players have to realize, that we're all working towards the same goal right now in June, and that's building a foundation for this football season.”

Despite entering his third season in the NFL, Penix Jr. has only started 12 games so far. In those games, he holds a record of 4-8 and averages just under 200 yards per game with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Sign up for our free Atlanta Falcons newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news!

Add us as a preferred source on Google