Former Falcons wide receiver makes jarring statement on Michael Penix Jr.

Of all the factors that cost the Falcons a win over the Patriots on Sunday, Michael Penix Jr. ranked closer to the bottom of the list than the top.

Parker Romo’s missed extra point robbed Atlanta of a chance at overtime, the rush defense was abysmal, and the Falcons couldn’t get off the field on third down, allowing the Patriots to convert eight of their twelve attempts. Penix, meanwhile, made several picture-perfect throws to Drake London for three touchdowns, finishing 22-of-37 for 227 yards and an 89.5 QBR (out of 100). On the road against a top-10 defense, that’s a performance deserving of praise — right?

Well, not according to former Falcons receiver Brian Finneran — now a host on 680 The Fan’s The Locker Room — who had some pretty jarring comments about Penix’s performance and future as the team’s quarterback.

“You go look at the quarterbacks that have been drafted in the last two or three years — Michael Penix is probably eight, or nine, or ten of guys that I’d want on my football team,” Finneran said.

Whether Penix truly ranks that low among recent quarterback classes is debatable, but the point stands: Finneran has little faith in him becoming the Falcons’ long-term answer under center.

“There are guys that look a certain way in the pocket and can get out of trouble in the NFL today — Justin Herbert, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix. What about our quarterback looks like those guys?”

Some of Finneran’s criticism is fair. Penix hasn’t looked like one of the league’s best young quarterbacks this season, and others from his draft class have flashed more early success. But context matters. Herbert has been in the league six years — why he’s even part of this comparison is unclear — and both Maye and Nix are in their second seasons as starting quarterbacks. Few people were talking about Drake Maye as an emerging star at this point last year, when he had just 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions through 12 starts.

The learning curve for young NFL quarterbacks is steep, and not everyone develops at the same pace. Penix just made his 10th career start and threw three touchdowns without an interception against one of the league’s better defenses. Maye didn’t do that once last season, and Nix did it only twice — one of those coming against the Chiefs’ backups in Week 18.

Situations also matter. Finneran himself has been vocal about his lack of faith in offensive coordinator Zac Robinson — a view shared by many. Meanwhile, other quarterbacks in Penix’s draft class like Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, Drake Maye, and Caleb Williams have benefited from play-callers with extensive experience.

The reality is this: Penix hasn’t proven he’s the long-term franchise quarterback in Atlanta, but it’s far too early to conclude that he isn’t. Sunday’s loss wasn’t on him, and if anything, his performance against the Patriots was another sign that he’s trending in the right direction.

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