So, the Falcons set a plan in motion, signing Cousins to a lucrative deal to be the Falcons’ starting quarterback for at least two seasons. They then drafted Penix in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at No. 8 overall.
Falcons leadership said at the time that while drafting a successor to a quarterback who had yet to play a down for the organization was not common, it was an insurance plan they wanted in place to ensure the organization didn’t find itself in the same situation it was in following Ryan’s departure with no clear succession plan in place.
“If you would have told me at that time that we would have Kirk Cousins for right now and Michael Penix for the future,” Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said then, “I would have told you it was a pipe dream.”
Cousins was in Atlanta for the now. Penix was the future. That was Plan A: To have Cousins start for a few years as Penix learned the ropes behind him. Then, Cousins was welcomed to ride off into the sunset, ushering in the Penix era.
The future, however, came quickly as the Falcons had to turn to Penix in the final three games of the 2024 season because of a stark decline in play from Cousins. Thus, Plan B was enacted.
The Falcons would move forward with Penix as the starter. He would grow on the fly, and the Falcons would keep Cousins on the roster as the backup. A very expensive backup, yes, but it was a portion of the salary cap going to the quarterback the organization could handle, seeing as Penix was on his rookie deal.
Now, though, Plan C, D, maybe F or G — the part of the story the Falcons tried so hard to avoid — is here.
Penix is hurt, yet another season-ending injury for a player who sustained four prior to his professional career even beginning. The quarterback will not be able to finish out the year, missing out on reps that were important for his development. At times, Penix looked the part of a superstar arm talent and future franchise quarterback. At other times, he looked like he had a lot of growing still left to do. Which, had he gotten the reps for a season’s entirety, is a more bearable place to be going into 2026.
That is no longer the case.