After two weeks of starting their third-string quarterback, the Atlanta Falcons will get their preferred starting quarterback back out there for Week 3. Michael Penix Jr. will start for Atlanta against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football, the team announced.
Between reporting from insiders yesterday and Kevin Stefanski saying earlier that there could be an announcement today, it seemed likely we’d hear Penix’s name called. Blessedly, we now have.
Penix is the only quarterback on this roster that could credibly be Atlanta’s long-term starter, and his audition for that role under the new Stefanski/Ian Cunningham/Matt Ryan regime begins on Thursday night. Drafted eighth overall out of Washington by Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot, Penix was intended to sit for a couple of seasons and then take over for Kirk Cousins, but wound up in the starting role earlier than intended when Cousins struggled in 2024. The lefty has appeared in 14 games for Atlanta, starting 12, and has completed 59.1% of his passes for 2,757 yards, 12 touchdowns, and six interceptions. We’ve seen glimpses of his ability to attack any area of the field during that time, but not enough to make us think he’s a franchise quarterback. Now fully recovered and cleared from the ACL injury he suffered last fall, and with a couple of extra weeks to work on the remaining but undefined physical hurdles Penix mentioned as the final portion of his recovery, he’ll make his debut in primetime.
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We’re not yet sure if Tua Tagovailoa will be cleared to return to action, but he’ll do so as the backup with Penix ready, if indeed he does. Cooper Rush will be the team’s third quarterback and Jack Strand will be mothballed the rest of the way if everyone stays healthy, and all of Atlanta’s weapons get a significant upgrade in terms of outlook, as does the entire offense. If Penix hasn’t been as consistent and accurate as we’d like to this point, the fact that he can credibly throw the ball deep and is a much more poised and polished passer than Rush should open things up for an offense that had only scored 16 points in two games thus far.
Penix, for his part, will need to show he’s healthy, improved, and a good fit for this offense going forward to make the Falcons commit to him beyond the 2026 season. It’s a tall task, but Penix is talented and will hopefully start both his career renaissance and get the Falcons a badly-needed win on Thursday Night Football.
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