Michael Penix Jr.’s NFL dream finally became reality after he was picked in round 1 by the Atlanta Falcons in 2024. And now, after spending one season as a rookie, he is declared to be the starting quarterback. But if you look at his journey from being a 3-star quarterback from Tampa, Florida, to being declared the Falcons’ QB1. Head coach Raheem Morris even reiterated Penix’s talent. “I think he’s at the mode of where he’s starting to get that confidence to be able to figure out how to get to that point.” Now that he is slated to start behind the center for the Falcons, Penix has Michael Vick, another QB legend, sending a powerful message.
Coming to the Hoosiers after being recruited by Nick Sheridan, Penix didn’t really take the world by storm at Indiana. His time was marred by frequent injuries. In the four seasons he spent at Indiana, the QB suffered two major ACL tears and two season-ending shoulder injuries. Still, the 6’2″ and 220 lb. southpaw showed his resiliency and ended his 4-year stint totaling 4,197 yards and 29 touchdowns. While those stats were modest, college football wasn’t ready to see the player he would become at Washington after his transfer.
Kalen DeBoer, Penix’s head coach at Washington, brought out the best in Penix Jr. In his two seasons with the Huskies, the QB threw for 9,544 yards, made it to the championship final in 2023, and was a Heisman finalist. The career trajectory almost turned around for him.
Even in his rookie season at the Falcons, Penix showed why he deserved that 8th pick in the first round. For instance, in week 16 against the New York Giants, Penix completed 18 of the 27 passes for 202 yards with just one interception, which again wasn’t entirely his fault, as Kyle Pitts bobbled. The former Washington southpaw stood strong against the Giants, who were the 7th-ranked defense in sacks (42), and showed that he could be the QB1.
In total, Michael Penix Jr. passed for 775 yards, scoring 4 touchdowns. Even later in the season, when $180 million QB Kirk Cousins failed to turn up and was benched, the rookie showed moments of brilliance. And if you ask Michael Vick, the former Atlanta Falcons QB, the sky is the limit for Michael Penix Jr.
“I’m excited for Mike. I think this is going to be an amazing season for him. Just watching practice, it looks like everything is slowing down. He threw a couple of touchdown passes today, good reads, moves well in the pocket, good pocket presence, and good feel for the game. And so with some complimentary players around them like Bijan and Drake and Kyle and you know, these guys are gonna really do some special things this year.” Michael Penix might also have some inspiration to take from Michael Vick himself.
Michael Vick was a star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons and bagged a $130 million contract there. However, in 2007, that Falcon dream came crashing down after he was convicted in that infamous dog-fighting scandal. So, having spent 21 months in jail, no franchise was willing to take the bet on Vick. However, Eagles’ head coach Andy Reid finally gave Vick a chance to redeem himself. And Vick? Well, he exceeded expectations and grabbed that chance like he was fighting for his life because he was!!
Kirk Cousins’ fate resembles Michael Vick’s story at the Eagles?
Vick, playing for the Eagles, exceeded all expectations in his second season and won the Comeback Player of the Year. In doing that, he passed for 3,018 yards and rushed for 676 yards in 2010. Everything from then on seemed lined up for him, as he would play four more seasons with the Eagles and earn a $100 million contract. But the journey to redeeming himself wasn’t easy, even after he earned that contract.
Vick told the story of how his performance against Washington in the 2010 season might have hurt his grandma since that was her favorite team. But after that performance, there was no looking back for him. “That day, I just felt a sense of calm. Just whole time in the whole game, I’m just thinking about my grandma like, ‘Yo, Grandma, I ain’t it. I’m annihilating them tonight. Like I’m killing them tonight. Like this, going to be the worst beating ever.”
In that game against Washington, Vick totally blew everyone away by throwing for 333 yards and rushing for another 80. The final score was 59-28, and he firmly claimed the starting quarterback spot, which had been up in the air with Kevin Kolb. After Vick’s amazing performance, Kolb didn’t really get a shot to win his job back since Vick kept piling up those passing yards all season. Eventually, Kolb ended up getting traded to the Arizona Cardinals. It’s kind of happening again with Kirk Cousins now that Michael Penix Jr. has been showing what he can do.
As per reports, there is a possibility that Kirk Cousins will finally be traded to a franchise since the Falcons wouldn’t be able to afford his $180 million contract with Penix as QB1. Currently, only one franchise is speculated to be in the running for Cousins: the Cleveland Browns. Jeremy Fowler, the ESPN reporter, predicted the Browns would be the destination for Cousins.
Fowler highlighted Cousins’ connection with the Browns’ head coach, Kevin Stefanski, stemming from their time at the Vikings. Moreover, he also highlights that Cousins could beat Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for a starting role. Fowler predicted the Browns would give Kenny Pickett in return for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft. Other teams like the Steelers were also pondered, but now that Aaron Rodgers has finally signed for them, the move seems unlikely.
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