Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is embracing his role as a backup quarterback.
The 24-year-old rookie was surprisingly selected by the Falcons with the No. 8 overall draft pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after an impressive senior season with the Washington Huskies. Penix was arguably the best quarterback in college during the 2023 season, leading the NCAA in passing yards while winning the Maxwell Award. He also threw for 36 touchdowns while leading the Huskies to a National Championship Game appearance, resulting in First-team All-American honors.
However, unlike his fellow rookies from his draft class, Penix isn’t expected to start this season considering four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins is entrenched as the starter after signing a four-year, $180 million deal in the offseason.
“It’s been great,” says Penix in a one-on-one interview of his relationship with Cousins. “Just a lot of learning and developing each and every day. Just trying to be ready each and every day, because you never know when my number will be called. I stay ready.”
Penix, who has seen action in two regular season games, says he was “excited” when the Falcons selected him and wasn’t surprised at all when he heard his name called with the No. 8 pick.
“I was excited,” says Penix of Atlanta’s selection. “I was there with family, I felt like where I landed is where I deserve to land and God put me here for a reason and I’m super blessed for it.”
The selection of Penix took many off guard, including Cousins, who wasn’t given the heads-up that the Huskies alum would be selected with the first-round draft pick. However, the selection of Penix makes sense considering Cousins is 36 years old and entering the twilight years of his career. Penix says his relationship with Cousins is a good one and they “work together” to make the Falcons better.
“We didn’t really talk about the draft,” Penix said. “It happened, there’s nothing we can do about it. Our conversations are all ball, things that will help our team win football games and he’s been a great person in the quarterback room. Anytime I have a question, he has answers, he asks me questions and I’ll have answers. We work together. At the end of the day, our goal is to help this team win football games.”
There isn’t exactly a clear path for Penix to start considering the Falcons are off to a 6-5 start and in control of their playoff destiny. Although they’ve suffered two consecutive humbling defeats to the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints, Cousins is solidified as the starter, ranking in the top 10 in major passing categories such as touchdowns, yards, completions and completion percentage. He has also led three game-winning drives, the second-best mark in the NFL.
While there may not be a clear path for Penix to start, he’s embracing his role as a backup during his rookie season.
“It’s not much of a mental adjustment; obviously it’s just physical,” says Penix when asked if it’s a mental adjustment to go from being a starter to a backup. “You’re not out there. I still have the same mentality, just make sure I’m ready each and every day as if I was a starter. I’m always going to be ready. Mental aside, I still have that drive and determination to be great. In order to do that, I have to be ready for my moment. So I stay ready.”
Penix explains that as a backup, you don’t see many reps in practice. A lot of his work is done on the scout team and with “mental” reps.
“You don’t see much reps with our offense as a backup, you’re usually doing scout team most of the time,” says Penix. ‘I don’t really get too many reps — I put in mental reps. I have to make sure I take full advantage of those. It’s a lot of mental reps.”
Although Penix is obviously busy getting acclimated to the NFL during his rookie season, he still pays close attention to his alma mater. The Huskies (6-5) obviously aren’t going to the National Championship Game this season, but they face a big game when they pay a visit to Autzen Stadium when they take on the No. 1-ranked Oregon Ducks in their final game of the regular season.
Penix went 3-0 during his Huskies career against the Ducks, including a victory in Oregon in 2022 and a win over them in the Pac 12 Championship Game last season. The win cemented the Huskies’ spot in the College Football Playoff.
He has some advice for the current team as they prepare for a big-time matchup against the top team in the country.
“I always watch the guys every week,” says Penix of the current team. “Don’t fall into the hype — just stay in the moment.”
The Huskies alum says he keeps in touch with his former college teammates and coaches such as Chicago Bears rookie Rome Odunze, Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer, former Huskies assistant coach Nick Sheridan and Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.
“I keep in touch,” says Penix. “All of the players, we’re in group chats. I keep in touch with them in that way. I text Coach DeBoer every now and then, Coach Sheridan and Coach Grubb to see how they are, how their families are. Let them know I love them and I appreciate them.”
Penix is speaking on behalf of his partnership with Sharpie, which will see the Falcons rookie quarterback sport cleats designed by 17-year-old Boys & Girls Club member and Atlanta native Nicole. Penix will wear the cleats during the team’s home game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 13. The message of the cleats echoes the meaning of community and were designed using S-Gel markers and Sharpie creative markers.
“She actually created and designed my cleat while using Sharpie pens and creative markers,” explains Penix. “She circled around community and that was something that was special to her. She put community across it — my picture, me and my brothers are on there with our names. It’s a cool deal.”
