Did Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. Just Spark a Flame Under Raheem Morris’ Hot Seat? | Rich Eisen Show

So, this popped into my threads feed yesterday. Michael Pennix Jr. meeting with the media. Now, this team’s three and six. We’re at a crossroads here for the Atlanta Falcons. All right. They are home this weekend against the Carolina Panthers. This is it. Okay. And then they’re at the Saints. Uh we all know throw the records out because they those teams despise each other. And the Saints would love it with Tyler Shuck, who just went up to Carolina and won his first game as a pro, would love to start keeping a throat on Olive and sticking it in this team and really putting it to them. The Falcons then visit the Jets. These are three games in front of them that can get them back to 500 and then they’ve got five more games to go. They’re all in conference, two of them in division, including that big Thursday nighter at Tampa. That’s what’s in front of this team that’s three and six that has not won since week six’s Sunday night game against Buffalo. And everybody thought, here we go for them. They’re going to have a shot at this division and be a playoff team. And part of the reason why things were looking good is the way Penn’s kind of finished last year coming into this year. Their offensive coordinator, Zack Robinson, has been brought down from the booth down to the sideline to be there physically where the quarterback is. That’s the idea. And then you’re you’re reading about how hard Penn took last week’s loss in Berlin. his press conference last we saw him after they lost this game to the Colts in overtime to fall to three and six. They could have been four and five coming off a win against a team that is being discussed as a Super Bowl worthy team. That would have been big. And he took it really hard to the point where Rahee Morris said he had a Raheem Morris on Wednesday said he took Penn aside to tell him, you know, chin up. And I mentioned the fact that the OC was brought from the booth down to the field. And I mentioned how the HC says he had a conversation with his quarterback about chin up essentially as the backdrop of the soundbite that has been resonating since Penn delivered it at the podium when he was asked about who he can rely on to advance his craft. And the answer certainly left um a lot of tongues a wagon. Who do you lean on to like help you? Like we haven’t played quarterbacks. So would you lean on like a former quarterback or your coaches to kind of just help you kind of assess things and good and bad? Um you saying like as far as on the field? Yeah, both. That help you mentally and physically? Oh, um no. like mentally I like my fiance, she’s always there for me. Um, so I know whenever I get home, I it doesn’t matter how I played, she’s always gonna be there for me. She’s gonna have a smile on her face and give me a hug and make me feel feel good no matter what. Um, but as far as, you know, as far as like physically, the on the field stuff, um, it’s it’s not nobody that I’ll talk to like as far as another quarterback or anything like that. You know, I do have uh people reach out to me. I I do have quarterback coaches though back at home. um that that reach out to me as well, you know, tell me, hey, like you need to clean this up, clean that up, you know, and everything will be good. So, uh those those guys help me as far as that, too. So, I can shout out them. See what I’m saying? I mean, that’s again, Raheem Morris spoke at the media on Wednesday. I’ll read you the soundbite. This is, I’m assuming, before Pennock took to the podium, talking about how he felt it was incumbent on him, according to the Associated Press, to talk with Penn about his emotions after that loss in Berlin. Quote, “Those are the things you like to talk to him about.” Provides a little bit of relief for him, letting him know it’s okay to be vulnerable in that moment, but at the same time, don’t be so disgruntled and hard on yourself that you blame yourself for everything. And it’s like it’s the reason why after those tough press conferences, it’s my job to go protect him. That’s what the head coach said. And then Pennix is asked, “Who are you relying on?” And he doesn’t mention the head coach and he doesn’t mention the offensive coordinator. And he doesn’t mention a quarterback’s coach. He doesn’t mention anybody there. Kirk Cousins doesn’t mention the guy in the in the in the quarterback room with him. Wow. And you hear that and it’s like how do you square everything? I was stunned when I heard that. A lot of folks are wondering, did he not hear the question right? You know, is that what your your assessment? Well, I was might be over there. As you’re talking, I’m trying to like replay the beginning of the combo in my mind. And you mean of the the Yeah. And scene of Do you want to Let’s replay it. Can you rack it back? Uh Mr. Hoskins just at the beginning. Um and then you could take it down once he starts to give his second answer. Go ahead. Who do you lean on to like help you? Like we haven’t played quarterback. Would you lean on like a former quarterback or your coaches to kind of just help you kind of assess things and good and bad? Um you saying like as far as on the field? Yeah, both. That help you mentally and physically? Oh. Um, no. Like mentally I like my fiance, she’s always there for me. Okay. So, so you know, maybe if it had been worded like who do you go to anyone in the locker room on the team? I don’t I mean maybe she the the reporter coaches. I mean I don’t know the whole thing like and maybe he was thinking cuz he referred to quarterback coaches he has back at home. Now, obviously, if that’s all it is, then it brings to mind what Seth Wickers reported in his book for the first time about Caleb Williams in Chicago, where there were he didn’t have anybody helping him watch film, giving him any sense about what to do. I’m sure there’s some push back if you ever meet anybody from the Bears coaching staff saying that’s probably not entirely true. But this could explain his kind of roller coaster season, too. Well, you know what could also explain roller coaster season? He’s just he’s he’s doing it for the first time. Yeah. And not everybody comes out of the Drake May had his ups and downs last year, pal. Not everybody comes out of the box like Jaden Daniels in the rookie season. That’s what I’m saying. Sure. And he also I don’t know. Like that is just that’s just a weird sequence right there, man. No. Yes. Pretty weird, right? Pretty weird, especially given all the talent. I mean, look, Drake May wasn’t isn’t surrounded by a lot of outstanding players. He’s got Bjan Robinson, who his own coach called the best player in the league. Drake London’s a top 10 receiver in the NFL. How many first round picks are on the offensive line? Like, this is kind of a stacked offense for him to be saying stuff like that. Yeah. And also, I guess Cooper sent me a text. Hold on a minute. This morning, God bless my my football crazy uh son here. He sent me, what did he send me this morning? He sent a screen grab from one of the sites he has quoting Raheem Morris on Tyler Algier, quote unquote, “Tyler is the least talked about superstar in our football team.” And he texted, “No wonder Bjan gets no TDs. Does Raheem ask Tyler in fantasy?” No, I’m just saying again, it it’s also part and parcel of how talented they are. They do have talent on that side of the ball. Penn beat the Bills, man. Pennock went toe-to-toe with Baker Mayfield in week one. If they made a kick, it’s a different story. True. I mean, it’s not like he’s clueless out there. Pennock had that game won last week in Berlin. Pennock found Drake London three times in New England. Yep. That game was won. Kicker missed a kick. You know what I mean? Like he’s I mean six and three. Like their record could be flipped easily, right? Yeah, but I I I I wonder if he would take a mulligan at that answer or is that the truth? They brought the OC down to the sideline. The head coach is talking about I’m taking him aside. Don’t be so hard on yourself. I’m protecting him from himself. And he didn’t mention any of those folks. And and and I I will mention Smitch Sean Mitchell of our U crack Rich Eisen show staff, our digital coordinating producer and so much more around here. He text he calls me up before he goes, “Listen, I’m trying to find a photograph of Ricky Morris and Pennix together.” There isn’t one. No, can’t find one. Oh, wow. And there isn’t one of the OC with him either. And I’m like, “Does that mean that they’re not I mean, no, but they’re not next to him.” But he’s like, “No, I’m I’m looking for it. knowing that we were going to talk about this segment. They better win on Sunday. Like I said, the next three games, this is it. I mean, I I didn’t mention them um in the um in the open about the the week 11. What’s at stake? I mean, Carolina to go to six and five and win a division game on the road after they lost one at home to the Saints be pretty big. If they lose this one, too. They’re five and six. Falcons are four- six right behind them. Then they visit New Orleans in the Jets. These are three winnable games for a team that came into the season thinking they could win the division and probably walked off that field in week one feeling we just let one get away. But we still at least know we’re in the same league as Tampa. This is good news for us. Then they go to Minnesota and just destroy JJ McCarthy. I mean, which is a nice feeling for Penn. That was on a Sunday night. and it all fell apart after uh beating the Bills. Bryce Young has one game over 200 yards this year. Let’s be honest, Falcons should win this football game. They’re at home. Panthers just lost to the Saints. They Falcons have their backs against the wall. But I I’ll tell you what I’m doing. If I’m covering this game and I’m there, I’m I’m my eyes are peeled on Penn as soon as he walks off the field. And if I’m the Falcons, I immediately push back on this. I immediately get out there and just get get out there like, um, this is no uh 2024 Chicago Bears, everybody. We got this kid supported. We got this kid supported. Hey, you made it all the way to the end. Thanks for that. Check us out every single day streaming live on Disney Plus and the ESPN app.

Rich Eisen weighs in on second-year QB Michael Penix Jr. saying he has no one on the Atlanta Falcons he can turn to for mentorship.

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35 comments

  2. Another example of why you don't hire defensive guys as head coaches ……. generally. The exceptions are open-minded dudes who pragmatically see offense as a … you know, *tool to win the game*, rather than seeing it as an obnoxious threat to steal credit away from your defense, which does seem to be most defensive dudes across all sports. Guys like Thibodeau and a million 'run the damn ball/defense wins' NFL coaches have deliberately tried to field a slow, dull, predictable offense that scored the minimum amount of points necessary to win games. That's not strictly what's happening with Atlanta, but Morris clearly did not put much thought into how all this would work, and never really tried to arrange things to maximize the talents of these guys …… and probably just doesn't WANT to think about these things. He's looking at that press conference shrugging and saying "well what do you want me to do about it? he's supposed to be talented, so he'll fix it or whatever"

  4. Falcons Fan here. It’s been a problem since last year with communication and Zach Robinson definitely isn’t great but Raheem has no leg to stand on either.

  5. They have too much talent to suddenly suck at offense. Zac Robinson may be from the McVay coaching tree, but not all your kids can be superstars. Zac Robinson continuously runs the pistol formation when clearly it's not that effective, despite what DCs tell him.

  6. I don't think he's the sharpest tool in the shed. I think he just didn't really understand the question all that well and thought were looking for people outside the organization that he might be seeking help from.

  11. Morris is all smoke. His record as a head coach is abysmal. I have zero confidence in this staff or organization. And that awful pistol offense. The talent is there but the vision and strategy and culture is absent. They better be gone.

  17. I’m glad Herbert is my QB. Dude is tough as nails never break character or show any weakness and mostly overall never throwing anybody under bus and taking self accountability

  24. My Falcons never make it onto the national sports radio stage, and when they do, it’s always for some BS like this because we are an unserious franchise😭😭

    Being a Falcons fan is the worst.

  29. PLEASE HIRE THE QB COACHES HES COMFORTABLE WITH. JUST FOR THE QB ROOM! PUT THEM ON FALCONS PAY ROLL, MOVE THEM TO THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF ATLANTA AND LET THEM CONTINUE TO MENTOR HIM IN PERSON. HIRE THE PEOPLE HE IS COMFORTABLE WITH AND THEN REPLACE THE OC WITH SOMEONE LIKE DABOL OR ANOTHER QUALIFIED HIRE

  35. I think the word “former” in the question made him think it was “former quarterbacks and former coaches” so he took it to me people in his personal life helping him

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