by: Brian Jones 8 hours ago brianjones_93
Matt Ryan is not ready to say that Michael Penix Jr. will be the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons when the 2026 season kicks off. At the introductory press conference for new general manager Ian Cunningham, Ryan was asked if Penix will be the Falcons’ starter when he returns from an ACL injury.
“Neither of us are the head coach of the football team, so we can’t answer your question on that,” Ryan said on Tuesday, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN. “… I think as we start to get into this process and dive deeper into the roster — how it currently stands, where it’s going in the future — I think those are conversations that’ll be a part of it.
“Quarterback’s obviously very important, and we’re excited about Mike and what he’s doing with his rehab. I’ve been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael’s been in there attacking that, and he’s in a good space right now, so we’re excited about where he is at. But certainly, a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster.”
Looking at Michael Penix Jr.’s numbers for the 2025 season
The Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He became the full-time starter at the start of the 2025 season and completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions in nine games. Penix missed the second half of the season after suffering a torn ACL in November. He’s expected to be out anywhere from nine to 12 months.