The final three games of the Atlanta Falcons' season are set to see Kirk Cousins attempt to throw his hat in the ring for Atlanta's 2026 starting job. This isn't horribly unrealistic when you consider the fact that the Falcons don't hold their own 2026 first-round selection, dealing the pick to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for the ability to select James Pearce Jr. ahead of the 2025 season.
Penix will miss the rest of the 2025 season with a partially torn ACL that required season-ending surgery. This is added to an extensive collegiate injury list that includes two torn right ACLs, a right non-throwing shoulder SC joint injury, and a left throwing shoulder AC joint sprain, pointing to the fact that there is a real chance we don't see the quarterback back in the lineup.
The quarterback is yet to play a full season in the NFL and is already dealing with his third serious knee injury. Penix has proven to be an injury liability, leaving the Falcons no reason to hold his starting spot or to believe the quarterback remains the future of the organization. It is fair to wonder if we see the quarterback start again for the Falcons, with much of this determined by how Cousins finishes out the rest of the season.
Falcons Should Have Zero Expectations of Michael Penix Jr. Heading into 2026
Penix finished this season with 1,982 passing yards and nine touchdowns to only three interceptions. When the quarterback was in the lineup, there were signs of a bright future, but not the consistency or clear path to stardom that Atlanta fans were hopeful to see. This further amplifies the fact that there is no reason to hold Penix's starting job, as the Falcons need to consider every option on the table.
Whether this means running it back with Cousins or scouring the market for bridge quarterbacks, there is no questioning that Penix's starting role appears to be in trouble. Adding to this is the unknown of rehabbing a serious knee injury for the third time in the quarterback's career. Whether or not there is a path back is up for debate.
With this in mind, the Falcons have gone from believing they had their quarterback of the future to a very familiar position. Atlanta has no idea if either of the quarterbacks currently on the roster will be a viable option in 2026, something the franchise has faced since jettisoning Matt Ryan at the end of the 2021 campaign.
Penix had his opportunity, and while there were no obvious complaints and flashes of what could be, the quarterback wasn't consistent enough for Atlanta to sit back and hold out hope. This is great news for Cousins and less so for Falcons fans tired of the instability at the position.