It’s understandable that Michael Penix Jr. isn’t at the top of most fantasy football rosters, but is it possible that he’ll benefit from a friendly playoff schedule and benefit from the weapons around him? Atlanta, offensively, is expected to get better in 2025 with all of the resources they have been throwing at it.
However, their quarterback is still waiting for the respect he deserves from the fan base.
WATCH: Michael Penix Jr. Unleashes On Falcons Fan Who Says His Name Wrong On Purpose “What Did You Say?”
Here is the video the confrontation:
Michael Penix did not appreciate this fan saying his last name the wrong way ☠️
(via: @SizzleHybrid) pic.twitter.com/aFUqkoOEyR
— JPA (@jasrifootball) August 23, 2025
Almost everyone wondered what the Atlanta Falcons were thinking when they selected Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Kirk Cousins, who just signed a four-year, $180 million contract in free agency, was particularly affected.
However, when Cousins was benched late last season due to his poor performance, the Falcons’ decision to grab Penix became much clearer. Signing Cousins turned out to be an even more head-scratching decision. It will be interesting to see what happens with Cousins before the year starts.
According to Matthew Schmidt of NewsWeek:
Penix is clearly Atlanta’s quarterback heading into 2025, and while he only threw three touchdowns to go along with three interceptions in five appearances and three starts during his rookie campaign, there is plenty of reason to be excited about the 25-year-old.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently outlined why there should be considerable hype surrounding Penix going into his second season and unveiled a rather tremendous comparison for him in the process: Los Angeles Rams star Matthew Stafford.
“You can see why Raheem Morris’s Rams-centric staff got Matthew Stafford vibes studying and working out the ex-Washington quarterback before the draft, and why those have only gotten stronger since,” Breer wrote. “He may not have all the arm angles or game-tested savvy that Stafford has yet, but there’s plenty of reason to be excited about where he’s headed.”
Penix put together two terrific seasons at Washington in 2022 and 2023 after transferring over from Indiana, leading the Huskies all the way to the National Championship Game during his final collegiate campaign. That season, Penix led the country with 4,903 passing yards and tossed 36 touchdowns and 11 picks.
Armed with an overlooked receiving corps led by Drake London and Darnell Mooney, as well as one of the league’s best running backs in Bijan Robinson, Penix will have plenty of weapons at his disposal this coming season.
Whether or not he will be able to take advantage of his arsenal remains to be seen.
For All NFL And College Football Content:
Follow me on X (formerly Twitter) at @mcquadewarnold. Also, do not forget to follow us at On Twitter for even more great football content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in the world of the NFL – especially with all the trade rumors swirling around and free agency news – college football, and more, click here!
