2025 looks like it will be a lost year in Atlanta. Already up against it in the race for the playoffs, this week brought the news that the Falcons would be without their number one quarterback for the rest of the season.
Michael Penix Jr. was initially placed on injured reserve after leaving the Week 11 overtime loss to Carolina. Having assessed the extent of his injury, the Falcons announced on Wednesday, 19 November, that the second-year quarterback would undergo season-ending surgery to repair a partially torn ACL.
This represents the latest blow in what has been an injury-plagued career for Penix. On a positive note, this injury is to his left knee, not the right knee which saw him miss extended periods during his collegiate years. Nevertheless, this is the fifth season-ending injury in Penix’s eight campaigns across his college and NFL career.
A Disappointing End to a Tough Second Season
Michael Penix Jr. will undergo season-ending surgery for a partially torn ACL. pic.twitter.com/IrqY9m9ZOZ
— NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2025
Having only recently signed Kirk Cousins to a lucrative contract, many were surprised when Atlanta selected Penix with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft. However, by the end of the season, Penix had replaced Cousins under centre. The rookie spearheaded a 34-7 rout of the Giants in his Week 16 debut and performed with credit in overtime losses to the Commanders and Panthers. A 7-7 record wasn’t enough to take Atlanta to the postseason, but Penix had shown more than enough to suggest he was ready to carry the offence.
Given that promise, 2025 has been a little underwhelming. Not looking entirely comfortable in Zac Robinson’s offensive schemes, Penix has completed 60.1% of his passes, thrown for 1,982 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
The low point of the campaign, and of Penix’s career to date, came in the Week 3 30-0 loss to the Panthers. To his credit, he rebounded with an impressive performance in a 34-27 win over the Commanders and backed that up against Buffalo in Week 5. Since then, the wheels have fallen off in Atlanta, with Sunday’s loss representing their fifth defeat on the spin. Digging themselves out of a 3-7 hole looks all the tougher now. Penix may have struggled at times, but he was still comfortably the Falcons’ best option.
Cousins Steps Back into the Fray
_(cropped).jpg){kind=link}
With Penix out, Atlanta look set to navigate the remainder of the season with Kirk Cousins leading the offence. Signed on a bumper $180 million four-year contract in March 2024, Cousins began relatively well in Atlanta – the highlight seeing the ex-Washington QB throw for a franchise record 509 yards against the Buccaneers.
Any promise that early form would lead to a playoff push soon disappeared, as the 37-year-old suddenly started to look his age. That collapse in form included four successive games without throwing for a touchdown. With the interceptions increasing and the passing yards going the other way, Cousins was benched in favour of Penix ahead of the week 16 clash with the Giants.
Remaining in the backup role for the current season, Cousins’ sole start came when deputising for Penix in the Week 8 34-10 defeat to the Miami Dolphins. The veteran completed 21 of 31 passes for 173 yards and zero interceptions but also failed to throw for a touchdown in a one-sided encounter.
With Cousins returning to the starting role, the Falcons promoted Easton Stick to the active roster. Former Buccaneer Kyle Trask takes Stick’s place in the practice squad. With Stick boasting a 0-4 record as a starter and Trask yet to throw for a touchdown in the NFL, the Falcons’ dwindling hopes would appear to rest on Cousins rediscovering his form.
Rethink Required in Offseason?
Whether anything can be salvaged from a deteriorating season remains to be seen, but this injury to Penix may spark a rethink of the Falcons’ longer-term plans. Seemingly in decline and a significant salary cap burden, Cousins is widely expected to be released ahead of the 2026 season. That move would make sense from a cap perspective. However, it would leave Atlanta relying on Penix Jr., who may not be fully fit to start the campaign.
Head coach Raheem Morris acknowledged that the spiralling quarterback situation may force a change in direction. “You definitely got to go and make some different plans,” he said. “We talk about the offseason, but we’ll talk about that and address that when we get there. Right now, we got to prepare for New Orleans Saints”
Anything other than a win over the 2-8 Saints will all but end Atlanta’s season. However, with Cousins looking like a shadow of his former self – and star receiver Drake London also sidelined – things may get worse before they get better in Georgia.