Michael Penix Jr. will start at quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football, marking his return after missing the first two games of the 2026 season due to recovery from a third ACL tear.
Penix, who was the Falcons’ first-round pick in 2024 out of Washington, had not started this season because he had not yet met the physical benchmarks necessary to take full-speed contact, despite being medically cleared before the final preseason game. The Falcons confirmed his starting role on Monday afternoon, ending a quarterback saga that has defined the team’s rocky start.
The Falcons’ quarterback situation has been complicated from the outset. The team initially signed veteran Kirk Cousins to start while Penix developed, but Cousins’s post-Achilles injury form fell short. Penix took over as the starter in 2025 until he suffered his season-ending ACL injury that required reconstructive surgery. This year, the Falcons planned to rely on Penix’s recovery timeline, supplemented by the addition of Tua Tagovailoa as a veteran backup, with Trevor Siemian as insurance.
However, the plan quickly unraveled. On the first day of training camp, Penix was not cleared for full participation, Tagovailoa was sidelined by back spasms, and Siemian was waived with an injury settlement. This left undrafted rookie Jack Strand as the only healthy quarterback available initially. The Falcons quickly signed Cooper Rush just before the first practice to provide depth.
Tagovailoa, Rush, and Strand all saw action in training camp and the preseason, but injuries continued to plague the position. Tagovailoa suffered an oblique injury before Week 1, leading to Rush starting against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rush struggled, completing 12 of 22 passes for 143 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. In Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers, Rush's performance dipped further, with just 86 yards passing, two interceptions, and no touchdowns.
The Falcons then turned to Strand in Week 2, a move complicated by the fact he had zero practice reps with the starters. Meanwhile, Penix was gradually regaining full fitness, training with simulated pass-rush pressure using an exercise ball during camp to avoid risk while preparing for live contact.
Thursday’s game against the Packers will test Penix’s readiness against a defense that has recorded seven sacks over two games, tying them for second in the NFL. Green Bay leads the league in forcing negative-yardage plays, presenting a significant challenge for the Falcons’ offensive line, which is still adjusting following the retirement of longtime right tackle Kaleb McGary.
The Falcons signed Jawaan Taylor to replace McGary, but Taylor’s integration was delayed by injury. He exited Sunday’s loss to Carolina with a rib injury but is expected to play against Green Bay, though his full health remains uncertain. Penix’s presence as a left-handed quarterback also requires the offensive line to adapt from protecting right-handed quarterbacks Rush and Strand the first two weeks, shifting the direction of plays.
If Penix is unable to finish the game, Tagovailoa is expected to be active and available, providing the Falcons with a familiar right-handed option. The team faces a precarious situation, with injuries already forcing multiple quarterback changes early in the season.
Penix’s start on Thursday will be the first time the Falcons have seen their top pick fully take the reins since his ACL injury last season. The impact of his return and whether he can hold up against the Packers’ pass rush will be closely watched into the late stages of the game.
According to Yahoo Sports.