The Atlanta Falcons have experienced a roller-coaster start to the 2025 season as Michael Penix Jr. continues to search for his rhythm. Their 20-10Â loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday came with added concern: Penix suffered an injury late in the game.
The second-year quarterback has guided Atlanta to a 3-3 record and has flashed moments of brilliance along the way. With Week 8Â approaching, fans are eager for updates on his status and whether he will be ready to take the field.
Will Michael Penix Jr. Play in Week 8?
Penix suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter after getting tangled with several 49ers defenders. He was seen limping before being taken to the medical tent for evaluation.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris confirmed that Penix is dealing with a bone bruise in his foot/ankle. He described the quarterback’s status as “day-to-day,” noting that “there’s definitely some limitations.”
“Obviously, we’ve got to let him go get evaluated,” Morris said. “He gave me the thumbs up on the sideline when we were asking him, so he was OK to finish. We’ll see where he is tomorrow.”
Contrary to Morris’ initial comments, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Penix’s injury is actually related to his lower leg rather than his foot. Pelissero added that the issue is not considered serious, and the second-year QB is expected to be ready for Week 8 against the Dolphins.
“He might be limited a little bit in practice this week….but full expectation is that Penix will be good to go on Sunday against the Dolphins,” he said on Tuesday.
Penix was limited in practice on Thursday, but NFL insider James Palmer confirmed that the Falcons quarterback is expected to play in Week 8. “Michael Penix (knee) limited again today,” he wrote on X. “My understanding is Penix should be good, but with a walkthrough yesterday, today was a big day in seeing actually where Penix is at.
Penix, who took over as the Falcons’ starter in Week 16 of the 2024 season after veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was benched, showed promise in limited action. He finished the year completing 58.1% of his passes for 775 yards and three touchdowns while posting a 1–2 record as a starter.
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Penix, drafted by Atlanta with the No. 8 overall pick in 2024, was given another chance to lead the offense this season but has yet to fully live up to expectations. Through six games, he has thrown for 1,409 yards and five touchdowns against three interceptions, completing 61%Â of his passes. He currently ranks 26th in PFSN’s QB Impact metric.
Of the 13 starting quarterbacks with negative EPA per dropback averages, only Tua Tagovailoa ranks higher than Penix on these rankings. It’s a testament to some of the highs Penix has shown, like his 313-yard outing in the Falcons’ win over the Commanders in Week 4.
However, inconsistency has been his biggest hurdle, and if that trend continues, Cousins could find himself back in the mix for the starting job.
