Falcons quarterback to miss rest of season due to ACL injury

The Atlanta Falcons announced that quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a partially torn left ACL. 

The team placed Penix on injured reserve on Monday with a left knee injury as they underwent a process to determine how severe his injury was. After a second opinion, the Falcons opted to go with surgery. 

Penix’s latest injury is the fifth season-ending injury he has sustained in eight seasons in both college and the NFL. The 25-year-old tore his right ACL twice in college. 

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) walks off the field after overtime of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Atlanta on Nov. 16, 2025. (Brynn Anderson/AP Photo)

“The one thing we say about Michael is we know what it’s like to be battle-tested, and he’s shown us that before,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said of Penix during a press conference on Wednesday.

“You know the last injury was (2021) I believe it was a shoulder. I think the last knee was in (2020) and he’s done nothing but come back stronger every single opportunity he’s been given. And when you know, I think his famous line was, you know, check his EKG, and it’s no different now. Like the guy is going to come back stronger for us, you know this organization believes in him, his coaches believe in him, his guys believe in him and he’s going to come back strong for us.”

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Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) in the first half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Atlanta on Nov. 16, 2025. (Mike Stewart/AP Photo)

Penix left the team’s 30-27 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers in the third quarter. In his second season in the league, Penix completed just over 60% of his passes for 1,982 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. 

The Falcons selected Penix with the No. 8 overall pick in the first round of last year’s NFL Draft despite signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in the same offseason. With Penix out, Cousins will be the team’s starting quarterback. 

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) passes against the Carolina Panthers in the second half of an NFL football game in Atlanta on Nov. 16, 2025. (Brynn Anderson/AP Photo)

Cousins, 37, has appeared in three games this season, once as a starter. He is 0-1 in his lone start and has completed 61.5% of his passes for 250 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. 

Cousins’ second start of the season will come when the Falcons take on the New Orleans Saints (2-8) on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. 

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