Penix Jr. Suffers Knee Injury: Season Over for the Falcons?

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffered a knee injury that could end his season during Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers. Sources indicate that Penix will seek a second medical opinion. Kirk Cousins, a team veteran, replaced Penix on Sunday in the 30-27 overtime home loss and will take over as the Falcons’ starting quarterback while Penix is out. This loss left the Falcons with a 3-7 record. Penix completed 13 of 16 passes for 175 yards before being hit with 5:22 left in the third quarter on an incomplete pass. Penix tried to get up, but then fell back to the turf and took off his helmet.

This is the second knee injury Penix has suffered this season. He had a bone bruise in his left knee that kept him out of the Falcons’ game against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7. At university, Penix suffered four season-ending injuries, including ACL tears in 2018 and 2020. In the current season, Penix has completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions. Cousins completed 6 of 14 passes for 48 yards after replacing Penix. The Falcons signed Cousins in 2024 to a guaranteed contract of 100 million dollars, but then selected Penix a few weeks later with the eighth pick of the draft. Atlanta believed it was securing its present and future at the quarterback position. Cousins was the starter last season before a five-game stretch in which he threw nine interceptions. Penix took over in Week 16, and the Falcons said he would start from then on. The expectation was that the Falcons would trade or release Cousins, but the organization felt comfortable with him as a backup despite the high price.