The Atlanta Falcons' inconsistency at the quarterback position the last four years has proven difficult to overcome.
The Falcons tried a variety of approaches, none of which bore fruit. They went the cost-effective-and-creative route in 2022 by signing Marcus Mariota. They attempted the draft-and-develop route with third-round pick Desmond Ridder. They did the tried-and-true route of signing a top veteran quarterback in free agency. Kirk Cousins seemed like the short-term answer for Atlanta right up until he wasn't.
After years of discussion and debate, the Falcons finally have a quarterback worth talking about as a long-term solution. If his three-game sample as a starter in 2024 is any indication, Michael Penix Jr. won't just be the answer for Atlanta, he'll be a problem for NFL defenses.
"There's a couple things about those three games where it's just his ability to manipulate defenders with his eyes," Falcons quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates said. "How he saw the entire picture was kind of set in stone for all of us. Like, 'Alright, we got a guy here.'"
In his second season Penix will have the opportunity to prove he's not just "a guy" but the guy for Atlanta moving forward. He's already made a great first impression in that regard.
Penix's 737 passing yards from Weeks 16-18 ranked eighth among all quarterbacks in that time frame. According to TruMedia, he also ranked eighth among qualified quarterbacks in explosive pass rate. Of Penix's 100 attempts, 15.5% resulted in the Falcons gaining 16 yards or more on the play. He led all quarterbacks in that qualifier with 10.2 air yards per attempt, which further illustrates not only the big-play ability Penix possess but also the confidence he has in himself and teammates.
Perhaps no play illustrated that fact quite like the second pass Penix threw against the Carolina Panthers in Week 18. It was the definition of a tight-window throw, the type few quarterbacks would even consider. And yet Penix ripped the ball past two Panthers defenders anyway.
"He surprised all the guys on the sideline," Yates said. "Like, 'Oh, wow. All right, that was a good throw. That was a good throw. Good job, Mike.'"
If the second throw of Penix's third start can generate that level of reaction from an NFL coaching staff, where can he go from here?
That's a key mission for the Falcons' offensive staff this offseason. Their quarterback plan for the 2024 season didn’t pan out as expected, but the late-year shuffle helped identify the areas in which Penix and the offense can grow.
"Well, it's going to be a lot of time on task that's going to be necessary for growth, and that's what this time of the year is about," Falcons wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard said. "So, we'll have to continue to adjust that and answer that question as we go, but at least we have three games under our belt. Now we set the bar, there's an expectation, and now the work begins."
However, what that work entails might not be as important as who is doing it alongside Penix.
Because Kirk Cousins was also in his first season with the Falcons, he worked exclusively with the starting unit to lessen the chemistry curve with players like Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Darnell Mooney. That meant Penix's first week as starter was also his first week throwing to his top weapons.
"Some of the times when he was going into the game throwing some of these routes, honestly, that's the first time they've ever done that together on a football field," Yates said. "Whether it be practice or not, because you can't really cover everything on a week-to-week basis."
By virtue of simply working in practice with the players he'll be lined up alongside on Sundays, Penix should take a step forward in Year 2. Detractors could fairly point to his 58.1% completion rate last year as an area of concern for Penix's future as a starter, but that number will undoubtedly climb as the first-team reps increase.
That was likely always going to be the case for Penix in Year 2, though, because of the Falcons' approach with their quarterback situation last year. Diverging from that path allowed Atlanta to identify specific areas in live-game situations to prioritize for Penix.
Before entering the season behind the wheel of a brand-new car, the Falcons got a test drive to better calibrate their offseason plans.
"Little footwork things, little accuracy things are always going to be part of quarterbacks just progressing," Yates said. "It's not a ton of stuff, but he's always going to have to be able to learn more situations, learn more situational football — when to do certain things, when not to do certain things.
"He's an aggressive player with an aggressive arm, but sometimes you got to be able to dial it back a little bit. He has great field vision. He has the ability to manipulate underneath defenders with his eyes. And sometimes he might not need to do that all the time, but it's one of his greatest assets, so we don't want to over-coach or out-coach some of those things out of his system. It's just the process of learning the quarterback and learning how to coach him, and him learning the offense and rolling through those things."
Penix's arm talent is one of the key reasons the Falcons were interested in him as a draft prospect, and the strengths of his game are undeniable. But NFL defenses are always looking for ways to make offenses play left-handed (or right-handed in the case of the lefty Penix) and take away the things they like to do or do well.
That's why Yates' comment about dialing back the aggressiveness just a little bit might be a key lesson for Penix to learn in 2025. Aggression is a double-edged sword after all, and the best quarterbacks play with the right combination of measure and moxie.
In this instance, having a veteran like Cousins around can benefit Penix. The four-time Pro Bowler is adept at getting the ball out of his hands quickly, especially on shorter passes. This allows his receivers ample opportunity to gain yards after the catch. It may not be a big-time throw, but the possibility for a big-time play is still present.
Those are lessons born from experience, which is part of the reason the Falcons remain comfortable having Cousins around as Penix's backup. Despite the outside concerns about the situation, those within Atlanta's facility have not seen anything to give them pause.
"It's very similar to last year when Mike took the reins and Kirk did a great job supporting him," Robinson said. "Definitely feel the same thing with Kirk being around now. Shoot, he knows Mike is the guy. Kirk is here as the backup, and we expect him to support him just like he did last season and all throughout the offseason."
That won't be the only support Penix will receive. In addition to Cousins and Yates, who played seven seasons in the NFL at quarterback, he has reportedly been in contact with former league MVP Matt Ryan. Although the two are different players, Penix's ability to play within the pocket is something the Falcons value highly and Ryan can be beneficial to that part of his game.
With a solid, steady offensive line in place in front of him, and a talented cast of skill players, Penix is the wild card for Atlanta's offense. After an offseason spent largely focused on the defense, the biggest change for the offense will be Penix's presence (and the departure of Drew Dalman).
Instead of starting with quarterback and then finding the pieces around him, Atlanta comes ready-made for a quarterback to step in and take off. If he performs the way the Falcons expect him to, Penix could have an uplifting effect for the entire group.
"The amount of reps that they'll get — offseason, OTAs, training camp, whether they're working out on their own — it's just going to be huge for this offense taking the next step," Yates said. "And it's not like a typical rookie quarterback, where he doesn't have a lot of skill around. We've got a lot of awesome weapons around him, aside from Michael's talent. So, we're extremely excited about where this offense can go."
Penix's first turn at the helm was promising, but the demands in Year 2 will be greater.
The Falcons have learned first-hand what instability at the game's most important position means for consistent success. They believe Penix is the right person and the right player to reestablish that stability.
"Obviously, we know the talent. We know the things he can do on the field," Robinson said. "Now, it's like, 'Man, this is your team. Let's roll with this thing.' And he's been great. I mean, he's been great since he's been here, but now you can feel that next level taking over."
