No Preseason? No Problem for Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr.

Michael Penix Jr. will not play in the Atlanta Falcons’ preseason finale, but the quarterback believes he will be ready when the regular season arrives. The team announced Tua Tagovailoa would start on Friday against his old team, with Cooper Rush next in line, followed by Jack Strand in Miami.

Penix returned to full team drills this week after working his way back from ACL surgery. He has now completed three practices with 11-on-11 work, giving the Falcons their first extended look at him in a team setting since his recovery began.

Penix said Wednesday that he feels ready to contribute as he continues to ramp up his workload.

“I do feel like each day since my first day out here I've been getting more comfortable and more confident,” Penix said.

That progress was evident during Wednesday’s practice. Penix completed 7 of 9 passes with a touchdown during 11-on-11 work and added a 3-of-4 performance with two touchdowns during 7-on-7 drills.

Still, the Falcons decided there was little reason to put Penix on the field for a preseason game after just three practices in full team situations.

“He just got back to team drills on Monday,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “So just felt we wanted to keep the focus on these three days and see how he came out of it. I think he did well.”

Penix said the decision was not an indication that he is behind schedule physically. In fact, he believes he could be ready to start the regular season from a health standpoint.

“I’m not playing this week because I only had three practices under my belt doing 11-on-11,” Penix said.

Penix also provided more insight into why his recovery has taken longer than his previous knee injuries. He underwent a different ACL repair procedure this time, one designed to provide additional strength to the knee.

That approach has contributed to a more cautious timeline, but Penix's return to full team activity represents another significant step in his recovery.

The quarterback's teammates have also noticed his progress.

Bijan Robinson said Penix looked fast during his return to full work and revealed that the two even joked about settling the matter with a race.

“This morning he said he’d beat me in a race,” Robinson said.

For the Falcons, Wednesday provided another encouraging checkpoint. Penix handled a full practice workload, produced consistently during team periods, and showed no indication that he needed to be rushed into preseason action.

Now, the emphasis will shift toward getting Penix ready for the regular season rather than adding unnecessary game reps in a meaningless game.

With his latest knee procedure designed to strengthen the ACL and his return to full team work progressing smoothly, Penix believes he has done enough to put himself in position for Week 1.

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