Former Washington Huskies superstar Michael Penix Jr. has big shoes to fill with the Atlanta Falcons.
After playing in five games during his rookie season, where he compiled 775 passing yards with 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, and added a score with his legs. Penix didn’t make his first start until Week 16, when he took over for veteran Kirk Cousins.
Over the years, the Falcons have seen excellent quarterback play from stars like Matt Ryan and Michael Vick, and the latter sat down with Penix to discuss his feelings ahead of his first full season as the starter.
“Being the guy, it’s something you dream about,” Penix said in an interview with Vick. “You’ve got dreams of playing in the NFL and getting drafted. Actually being on the field, knowing that you’re the guy now, it’s surreal.”
Penix had to sit behind the 36-year-old Cousins for the first 14 weeks of his career after the Falcons signed him to a four-year, $180-million deal in free agency, even though the veteran struggled mightily while coming off a torn Achilles tendon that ended his 2024 season. However, Penix said he learned a lot from his time behind the journeyman quarterback during his rookie season.
“There was a lot of mental stuff that you take away from it,” he said. “Obviously, you can’t be in the game, but sitting on the sideline, playing the game in my head as best I can, since you can’t simulate the pressure and stuff like that, thinking about who I would throw to in those situations, it just gave me a lot of confidence whenever I did get in.”