The Falcons announced on Wednesday that second-year quarterback Michael Penix would undergo season-ending surgery on his left knee to address a partially-torn ACL.
Penix went down in the third quarter of Sunday’s win over the Panthers. He was replaced by Kirk Cousins and did not return. At first thought to be a re-aggravation of the bone bruise Penix suffered in October, further testing revealed that he also sustained a partial ACL tear and a knee sprain. With Atlanta all-but-eliminated from the playoffs, the team opted to shut their 26-year-old quarterback down in the hopes that he can return for the start of the 2026 season.
Cousins will move forward as the Falcons’ starter in yet another twist in the 37-year-old’s 14-year career. He arrived in Atlanta in March 2024 on a four-year, $160MM contract ($90MM fully guaranteed) and the intention to start for at least a few years. Instead, the Falcons drafted Penix in the first round of the 2024 draft and installed him as the starter for the last three games of his rookie season. It seemed like Cousins’ time in Atlanta was over, but his contract made it impossible for the Falcons to trade or release him. Instead, they held onto him as the most expensive and experienced backup in the league with the expectation of parting ways in 2026.
Penix’s injury therefore creates a huge opportunity for Cousins to rebuild his stock after a poor debut season in Atlanta. 2024 was his worst year as a starter, featuring a league- and career-high 16 interceptions and a career-low 88.6 passer rating. He now has a chance to audition for a starting job elsewhere next season. His lone start this year, a 34-10 loss to the Dolphins in Week 8, did not show much improvement. He completed just 21 of his 31 passing attempts for 173 yards, no touchdowns or interceptions, and a 81.8 passer rating. Taking over as the full-time starter could yield better results, though he will be without star wideout Drake London for at least one week.
Head coach Raheem Morris said (via The Athletic’s Josh Kendall) that practice squad QB Easton Stick will be signed to the active roster to serve as Cousin’s backup. Stick’s spot was filled by former Buccaneer Kyle Trask, who will now be the Falcons’ third-string quarterback.
Morris did not outline a timetable for Penix’s return. He will need a full reconstruction, according NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, with an estimated recovery time of at least nine months. Depending on the exact date of his surgery, that would position Penix to return just before the start of the 2026 regular season. Morris said (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) that the Falcons will have to reevaluate their approach to the quarterback position this offseason. Whether or not that includes retaining Cousins remains to be seen.
This is the third torn ACL and reconstructive surgery of Penix’s career. The first two came in 2018 and 2020 and impacted his right knee, while his current partial tear is in his left knee. He will be entering his third NFL season coming off a major injury with legitimate questions about his potential as a long-term starter in the NFL. In 14 appearances, Penix has recorded a 59.6% completion rate, 7.2 yards per attempt, and a 85.8 passer rating. The Falcons have a 4-8 record in his 12 starts and will almost assuredly miss the postseason this year.
Next year will be a major test for Penix’s ability to bounce-back and prove that he is Atlanta’s franchise quarterback. The Falcons have to make a decision on his fifth-year option (for the 2028 season) during the 2027 offseason and may also be evaluating Penix against any other quarterbacks they pick up during his absence.