Michael Penix Jr. is still working to return to the field.
In the meantime, the Atlanta Falcons have been forced into some quarterback chaos as Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) and Cooper Rush (back) battle injuries, as well.
The resolution for Week 1 was a Rush start, and the result was a 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Week 2 is still a mystery. The Carolina Panthers are ready to take on the Falcons, with Bryce Young’s offense having just put up 37 points.
The Falcons’ offense doesn’t even know who will be playing QB.
Penix is the wild card, the guy presumed to have the most talent but also the one whose injury is the most mysterious.
On Wednesday, though, the Falcons’ reporters got a chance to go straight to the source and figure out what’s going on, because Penix took part in a post-practice press conference.
Why Isn’t Michael Penix Jr. Playing?
Penix isn’t playing due to physical components of his recovery from surgery on a torn ACL.
That’s what ESPN’s Marc Raimondi shared on X from Penix’s press appearance:
Penix: It’s not a mental thing. … Physically, I need to hit a couple more goals. #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 16, 2026
“Mentally he wants to play,” Raimondi wrote in a different post, “but he can’t go out there unless he feels right physically.”
Penix is certainly itching to play:
Penix: I’m dying to be out there. At the same time, I have to think about how I feel. #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 16, 2026
During Penix’s presser, Patrick Mahomes was brought up as he made a quicker comeback from a torn ACL — but Penix pointed out that he’s had more surgeries than Mahomes. The lefty has torn an ACL three times since he began his college football career.
Penix also revealed that at the end of the day, it’s his call, at least as far as when he’s ready — then the Falcons of course make the decision on who the starting QB is:
Penix: I’ve got the final say, because I’m the only one who knows how my body feels. #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 16, 2026
Is Michael Penix Jr. Playing This Week?
Penix didn’t want to rule himself out for Week 2 yet:
Penix said playing Sunday is still a possibility. #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 16, 2026
During drills in Wednesday’s practice, Penix did do a lot of the same throwing that Cooper Rush did. Rush is presumed to be the starter for the second consecutive week if Penix can’t go — although Tua Tagovailoa could still throw his name into the mix, too.
This is the first really idea of where Penix’s head is at in his recovery, and it at least explains more about why the Falcons haven’t turned to him yet. It feels like the time is coming, but the when still doesn’t seem to be set in stone — and then Penix will have to prove he’s fully healthy and ready to let it rip as Atlanta’s QB.
Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. Reveals Why He Isn’t Playing