Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is going through all the normal motions for an NFL first-round draft pick with a bright future ahead.
But at 24 years-old, Penix joins Bo Nix as the two oldest incoming rookies of the six quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2024 draft. Penix is also older than NFL quarterbacks Anthony Richardson, Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Sam Howell. He's less than a year younger than Zach Wilson and Justin Fields, who are both entering their fourth NFL seasons.
"Coming in the NFL a little older, I won't say it's like too much of an advantage or disadvantage in any way," Penix told Sports Illustrated in a recent interview. "It depends on the way that you mentally and physically prepare yourself day in and day out. At the end of the day, it don't matter how old you are. When you get to that league, you've got to be able to perform. They want someone who will be able to perform and that's going to be able to do it for a long time.
