Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. 'feeling good' and preparing to play Sunday

D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Oct 23, 2025

Published in Football

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FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Despite a bone bruise in his left knee, Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. plans to start against the Dolphins at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“Obviously, at the end of the game, you saw I did get up a little bit slow, but I’ve been feeling good,” Penix said. “Just continuing to get better each and every day and make sure I’m monitoring it the right way. But I do feel good.”

Penix and the Falcons (3-3) need to rebound against the Dolphins (1-6) after a poor offensive showing against the 49ers in a 20-10 loss.

Penix, who was moving around well during the open portion of practice Thursday, plans to answer the bell.

“Yeah, that’s the plan,” Penix said.

The Falcons must continue to work on their two-minute offense, which has failed them at the end of the first halves of the past three games and late against the 49ers on Sunday. Also, their red-zone problems have not been eradicated.

In the game before that, the offense came out smoking against the Bills in the first half, but could not sustain that prowess in the second half. After a punt against the 49ers, the unit cobbled together a bruising 19-play drive that reached the 15-yard line, but they went backward and had to settle for a 38-yard field goal.

The short touchdown drive in the third quarter was set up by a 45-yard kickoff return by Jamal Agnew.

“I just feel like we were in the game,” Penix said. “We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game all the way up until the end, but it didn’t feel like we were ever out of it.”

But the Falcons were never able to take control of the game against a depleted 49ers defense. It was a 13-10 game with a chance for the Falcons to take the lead. But eventually, the 49ers offense did what the Falcons couldn’t. They put together a touchdown drive.

“For us as an offense, now we’ve got to match that energy that (the defense is) bringing,” Penix said. “The way that they’re playing on the opposite side, they’re stopping teams from getting points. We’ve got to put points on the board to play that complementary football.”

The Falcons have some seemingly obvious red-zone weapons in running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier in the run game and wide receiver Drake London (6-foot-4) and tight end Kyle Pitts (6-foot-6) in the pass game.

The Falcons have to figure out how to turn their drives into touchdowns.

“We’ve got to finish drives,” Penix said. “We’ve got to finish. We’ve got to execute in the red zone. We can’t settle for field goals. In big-time downs, or fourth downs, stuff like that, we’ve got to find a way to convert.”

Falcons coach Raheem Morris is expecting Penix to play.

“I still feel really good about him,” Morris said. “He’s the ultimate tough guy. Obviously, it’s going to be based on movement.”

Penix was heavily scrutinized at practice Thursday. The team had a walk-through Wednesday. Morris said he doesn’t plan to put Penix in harm’s way if he’s not mobile.

Morris was asked about Penix’s development thus far in his first season as a starter.

“Three and three,” Morris said. “You are what your record says you are. That’s where we’re at. Mike Penix is leading us.”

Morris continues to back his quarterback.

“I admire his toughness,” Morris said. “I admire his ability to go out there and be able to play for us, down in and down out.

“I admire his ability to really grasp all the game plans, be able to go out there and execute. He’s had some really good games, the best of his career. He’s had a game that he wanted to forget.”

Morris knew there would be growing pains with Penix, who was drafted eighth overall in 2024.

“Then last week went out there, and we got out-physicalled last week,” Morris said. “Got beat by a really good football team. That’s where we’re at. That’s where we’re going to keep it.”

Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was also asked about Penix’s development.

“He’s in a great spot,” Robinson said. “He’s seeing so many different looks from different defenses each week. Obviously, it’s a young collection of skill guys that are all growing together, which is cool. There are going to be some growing pains within that.”

Robinson believes that Penix will work on the glitches in his game and in the offense.

“I’m very excited with where Mike’s at,” Robinson said. “We’ve just got to be consistent across the board whether it’s him, whether it’s the rest of the guys, whether it’s us as coaches, all those things apply.”