The Atlanta Falcons’ Sunday night loss to the Baltimore Ravens took a sharp turn in the final seconds of regulation when Michael Penix Jr. suffered a rib injury.
Penix was sacked with 27 seconds remaining, fumbled and was slow to get up before leaving the field. He walked off under his own power, but he did not return.
Falcons On SI’s Darius Hayes reported in overtime that Penix was questionable to return with a rib injury and had a towel draped over his head as Tua Tagovailoa prepared to take over.
What followed made the ending even more painful for Atlanta.
Michael Penix Jr. Leaves With Rib Injury
Penix had Atlanta in position to win late in regulation before the injury changed the quarterback plan.
With the score tied 23-23, Penix was sacked for a 10-yard loss by Tavius Robinson with 27 seconds remaining. He fumbled on the play, but center Ryan Neuzil recovered it for Atlanta.
Penix left after the hit, and Tagovailoa entered for the first time as a Falcon with 19 seconds remaining.
His first pass went for 14 yards to Brian Robinson Jr., but Atlanta could not get into scoring range before time expired.
Penix finished 19-of-32 for 240 yards and one touchdown. He threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Pitts in the second quarter and did not turn the ball over through the air.
Baltimore then took the opening possession of overtime and drove for a touchdown, with Tyler Huntley scoring on a 1-yard run to put the Ravens ahead 30-23.
That left Atlanta needing a touchdown to extend the game, and Penix remained on the sideline.
Hayes reported that Penix was questionable with the rib injury, but Tagovailoa was the quarterback sent back onto the field for Atlanta’s final possession.
Tua Tagovailoa Throws Game-Ending Interception in Overtime
Tagovailoa initially gave Atlanta life.
On his first snap of the overtime possession, he found Drake London for 20 yards, moving the Falcons from their own 28 to the 48.
But two plays later, the comeback ended.
Tagovailoa’s pass was intercepted by Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton at the Baltimore 38 with 2:12 remaining, sealing Atlanta’s 30-23 loss.
92.9 The Game’s Joe Patrick called it an “awful interception” that ended the game.
Tagovailoa finished 2-of-3 for 34 yards and the interception in his first regular-season snaps for Atlanta.
The ending was especially frustrating because Atlanta had controlled much of the night.
The Falcons led 14-6 in the second quarter and 23-15 with less than three minutes remaining in regulation. Baltimore then kicked a field goal, scored a touchdown with 44 seconds left and converted a two-point attempt to tie the game.
Atlanta still had a chance to answer before Penix was injured.
Now the larger concern shifts to his health.
Penix returned this season after tearing his ACL in 2025 and had helped Atlanta rebound from an 0-2 start with consecutive wins over Green Bay and New Orleans. He entered Sunday having thrown for 479 yards and two touchdowns over those two victories.
The Falcons dropped to 2-3 with the loss.
More importantly, they left Sunday night waiting to learn whether Penix’s rib injury will cost him additional time.
Tagovailoa was signed to give Atlanta experienced insurance behind Penix.
The Falcons needed that insurance Sunday night, and his first extended opportunity ended with Hamilton holding the football and Baltimore leaving Atlanta with the win.
Did Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. Get Hurt? Tua Throws Game-Ending INT vs. Ravens