South Atlanta News

When Michael Penix Jr. arrived at the University of Washington in December 2021, he was a quarterback with potential but limited production due to injuries that ended each of his first four seasons at Indiana University early. Despite these setbacks, Penix's promise was evident, and when he entered the transfer portal as a redshirt junior, several teams expressed interest.

Washington's new head coach, Kalen DeBoer, who had been Penix's offensive coordinator at Indiana in 2019, recognized his talent. "Michael is really mature," DeBoer said. "He's been through a lot over the course of his college career, now into his professional career."

Penix thrived at Washington, becoming the most prolific passer in college football over two seasons. He threw for 9,544 yards and 67 touchdowns in 28 games. His performance included leading Washington to an 11-2 record and a Pac-12 championship.

"What I always remind him about is that he's ready for whatever comes his way because he's been through so much," DeBoer stated.

Now preparing for his first professional start with the Atlanta Falcons, Penix faces new challenges. The Falcons are one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South standings and need help in the wild-card picture.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris noted Penix's resilience: "There is something about people who can handle adversity and bounce back from all different types of walks of life."

The Falcons selected Penix with the No. 8 pick in April's NFL Draft due to his experience and ability. Comparisons have been made to players like Matthew Stafford and Justin Herbert.

"He throws a really catchable ball that has some zip on it but also good touch," DeBoer commented.

Despite entering a league known for testing players' composure, Morris remains optimistic: "This kid has played a significant amount of football...he's got a lot of poise."