Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will miss the rest of the 2025 NFL season after a second medical opinion confirmed the severity of his left knee injury. The team announced that Penix will undergo surgery for a partially torn ACL, ending his season.
The Falcons had initially placed Penix on injured reserve, requiring him to sit out at least four games while awaiting further evaluation. After Wednesday’s update, it was confirmed that he would not return this year.
“After further medical evaluation, it has been determined Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will undergo season-ending surgery for a partially torn ACL,” the team’s statement said.
Kirk Cousins will take over as starting quarterback beginning with Sunday’s Week 12 game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome. Easton Stick, who is currently on the practice squad as an emergency third quarterback, is expected to serve as backup.
Easton Stick commented on Monday about Penix’s situation: “The thing that’s on the top of my mind the most is how (Penix is) feeling and how he’s doing. That’s a tough, tough deal however it turns out. But yeah, Sunday looks different. Outside of Sunday, not much changes.”
Head coach Raheem Morris and Cousins are scheduled to address the media later in the week.
The Falcons currently have a 3-7 record overall and are winless in their division at 0-3 in the NFC South. With seven games remaining in the regular season, their playoff chances are less than 1%, according to The New York Times’ simulator.
Coach Morris spoke about losing his starting quarterback: “Obviously, it hurts your heart when your quarterback goes down. Anybody in your football team, any of you guys, that’s definitely always one of those things that’s going to be harmful. But you got to recenter, you got to focus. You got to go with the next-man-up mentality. You got to lean on other people, other places, to be able to go find a way to get those things done.”
Penix completed his second season with 166 completions out of 276 attempts for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions across nine starts—an average completion rate of just over 60% and about 220 yards per game.
He missed Week 8’s loss against Miami due to a bone bruise in his left knee; Coach Morris could not confirm if that injury was related to his current ACL tear.
Drafted eighth overall by Atlanta in 2024, Penix was originally expected to develop behind Cousins during his rookie year but became starter late last season due to performance issues from Cousins and kept that role into this year.
Penix had previously suffered multiple knee injuries during college play but those affected his right knee rather than his left.
“Just hurting for the young man,” Morris said. “We’ll move forward.”
