Michael Penix Jr.

No. 9 · 3rd season

Penix clears one hurdle at a time, starting line still ahead.

Michael Penix Jr. tore his ACL in November and watched the season slip away. Now, months into recovery, he's doing the unglamorous work of getting back—not to game-ready, but to the next step. Coach Kevin Stefanski has made clear the quarterback's progress is real and exactly on track. Penix himself is honest about where he stands: he can do just about anything now except take a hit, which in football is the one thing that matters most. Tua Tagovailoa will start the first preseason game, a straightforward move. But the Falcons have not promised him the regular season job, which means Penix's comeback is still being written. The timeline for a quarterback returning from an ACL tear is measured in doubt as much as it is in days. Penix is moving through his recovery the way you're supposed to—methodically, without shortcuts. What comes next depends on whether his body holds when it actually counts.

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Michael Penix Jr.

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