Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Michael Penix Jr. news makes 2025 another lost season for Falcons

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Nov 18, 2025 8:02 AM ET

Atlanta Falcons fans should be seeing a lot more of backup quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Falcons starting QB Michael Penix Jr. exited because of a left knee injury during the third quarter of Atlanta's 30-27 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 11. He finished 13-of-16 passing for 175 yards.

On Monday, the team received unwanted news on the second-year passer. NFL Media insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Penix aggravated a bone bruise and a knee sprain from earlier this season. Additionally, there is damage to his ACL, and it could lead to reconstructive surgery. The Falcons are placing the 25-year-old on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least four games.

How does Michael Penix Jr.'s injury impact the Falcons' future?

Atlanta's playoff chances were already slim after it fell to 3-7 on Sunday. Now that Penix is set to miss multiple games, consider those odds kaput.

#Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr is headed to Injured Reserve after aggravating a bone bruise and knee sprain from earlier in the season, sources tell me and @TomPelissero.

Additionally, there has been damage to the ACL, which could mean a full reconstruction. Kirk Cousins is up. pic.twitter.com/6rbwQCXDWN
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 17, 2025

The Falcons' passing attack was floundering with Penix in the lineup. After 11 weeks, Atlanta ranks 18th in the league in passing yards (212.6). The QB, meanwhile, had 1,982 passing yards, the 19th most in the NFL.

With that in mind, the unit is unlikely to improve with Cousins taking the reins. After replacing Penix against Carolina, the 37-year-old veteran completed 6-of-14 passes for 48 yards. When he filled in during a 34-10 Week 8 loss to the Miami Dolphins, the four-time Pro Bowler went 21-of-31 passing for 173 yards, posting a below-average 35.8 QBR.

The update on Penix not only dampens the excitement for this season but also the Falcons' future. The eighth pick of the 2024 NFL Draft had multiple injuries throughout his six-year college career at Indiana and Washington. Attached below is a list of his past medical issues.

Michael Penix overcame so much already:

2018 torn ACL
2019 season-ending shoulder surgery
2020 torn ACL
2025 another season-ending knee injury

He'll be back pic.twitter.com/BIz1qPHZtA
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 17, 2025

Penix, of course, could rebound from the injury during the 2026 season. However, it raises further concerns about his durability.

Monday's news is a bummer for Falcons fans amid another lost season for the team. They remain unsure whether Penix is the future of the franchise and will have to watch the club continue to spiral after missing the playoffs for eight straight seasons.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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