FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — In a devastating blow to the Atlanta Falcons’ already struggling season, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has been ruled out for the remainder of 2025 following confirmation of a partially torn ACL in his left knee.
The team announced Wednesday that the second-year pro will undergo surgery, effectively ending his campaign and thrusting veteran Kirk Cousins back into the starting role.
Penix Sidelined, Kirk Cousins’ Return
The Falcons’ initial statement on Monday indicated Penix would land on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least four weeks after suffering the injury during last week’s matchup.
However, lingering concerns about the knee’s severity prompted the additional consultation, which delivered the harsh verdict.
“After further medical evaluation, it has been determined Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will undergo season-ending surgery for a partially torn ACL,” read the team’s official release.
With Penix out, Cousins steps in as the Falcons (3-7) prepare for a critical NFC South showdown against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.
Easton Stick is expected to serve as the backup, drawing from his role on the practice squad as the emergency third-stringer.
Stick, reflecting on the abrupt shift, shared his empathy for his teammate during Monday’s media session.
“The thing that’s on the top of my mind the most is how (Penix is) feeling and how he’s doing,” Stick said. “That’s a tough, tough deal however it turns out. But yeah, Sunday looks different. Outside of Sunday, not much changes.”
Head coach Raheem Morris and Cousins are set to field questions from the press later today, offering further insight into the transition. For Morris, the focus remains on rallying the squad amid the heartbreak.
“Obviously, it hurts your heart when your quarterback goes down,” Morris acknowledged Monday. “Anybody in your football team… that’s definitely always one of those things that’s going to be harmful. But you got to recenter, you got to focus. You got to go with the next-man-up mentality. You got to lean on other people, other places, to be able to go find a way to get those things done.”
Penix’s 2025 stats paint a picture of promise cut short: In nine starts, he completed 166 of 276 passes (60.1%) for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and just three interceptions — averaging 220.2 yards per game.
He sat out Week 8’s loss to the Miami Dolphins with a bone bruise in the same knee, though Morris couldn’t confirm if the issues are connected.
Selected eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Penix was originally tabbed to sit and learn behind Cousins as a rookie.
That timeline accelerated in Week 16 of his debut year due to the veteran’s inconsistencies, propelling Penix into the starting lineup to close out 2024 and carry into this season. His college career at Washington was marred by right-knee troubles, but this marks a fresh challenge on the opposite side.
The injury compounds a dismal year for Atlanta, who sit dead last in the NFC South at 0-3 in the division and boast slimmer-than-slim playoff odds — under 1% per The New York Times’ simulator — with seven games remaining. Still, Morris struck an optimistic chord: “Just hurting for the young man. We’ll move forward.”
As the Falcons navigate this pivot, Dirty Bird fans will be watching closely to see if Cousins can spark a late-season surge. Stay tuned to Atlanta Sports for updates from today’s presser and beyond.
