Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. Gets Strong Endorsement from Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell

Originally posted on Atlanta Falcons on SI
By Garrett Chapman | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 7:00 AM ET

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga – The Atlanta Falcons know they have their guy under center with Michael Penix Jr, and other teams have certainly taken notice of the second-year quarterback.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell will face off with the Falcons on Sunday Night Football, and he had high praise for Atlanta’s quarterback on Wednesday.

“I think Michael Penix is a guy that [sic] we’ve studied him a lot, know him very well, and know how talented he is as a thrower of the football,” the Vikings head coach said. “He truly excelled at the collegiate level, pushing the ball down the field, finding his receivers, and throwing guys open and finding ways to have massive amounts of explosives in a game from the pocket.”

The second-year starter was a Heisman finalist as a college quarterback for the Washington Huskies after throwing for 4,903 yards and 36 touchdowns as a senior. He led his program to a national title game appearance, and a lot of that individual success has carried over to the early stages of his professional career.

Penix is in the midst of the best four-game start to his career in Falcons history, but he has another difficult test in Minnesota this weekend. His first performance of the season could indicate that he is up for the test.

He finished Week 1 completing 27-of-42 (64.2%) passes for 298 yards and a touchdown, while adding another 21 yards and a touchdown rushing, but it was his late-game heroics that stole the show.

MP9 LAYS OUT FOR SIX

FOX | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/LoT5F4TSIv
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) September 7, 2025

“I think what people are starting to learn about him is his ability to affect the game with his athleticism,” he expanded. “Sunday was a great example of that. Tampa did some good things to try and slow him down as the field condensed. There were some coverages that weren’t a lotta eligibles in rhythm. So, what did he do? He found a way to get the ball in the end zone, to get a first down. To force you to snap it one more time by making a play athletically.

“I thought he was a driving force behind that game being so competitive.”

In addition to Penix, O’Connell praised what the Falcons have on their roster, saying they “all bring a certain level of playmaking.”

“They have a collection of skill players as good as anybody in the NFL,” O’Connell said. “You look at the way Bijan Robinson impacted that game, I think he had 12 carries for 24 yards on Sunday, but he had six catches for 100 [yards] and a touchdown. The touchdown catch was a checkdown in space, and he turns it into a massive, explosive play.”

With a spotty injury report at wide receiver coming into this game and a subpar rushing performance in Week 1 that netted just 48 rushing yards aside from Penix, the Falcons will need to do more to support their young quarterback against a stout Viking defense.

Sunday will be another big test, but O’Connell’s praise made it clear that the Falcons’ young quarterback already has the league’s respect.

This article first appeared on Atlanta Falcons on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: