Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. to sit preseason finale; coach says Week 1 remains the goal
Atlanta will hold Penix out of Friday's dress rehearsal against Miami after he just returned to team drills, but the second-year quarterback says he expects to be ready for the regular-season opener
The Atlanta Falcons will close the preseason without their franchise quarterback taking a snap. Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Wednesday that Michael Penix Jr. will not play in Friday night's finale against the Miami Dolphins, per Adam Schefter — a decision driven by how recently Penix got back into full team work.
Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr will not play in Friday night’s preseason finale vs the Miami Dolphins, per HC Kevin Stefanski.View on X →
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter): Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr will not play in Friday night’s preseason finale vs the Miami Dolphins, per HC Kevin Stefanski.
Stefanski framed it as a pacing call rather than a setback. "He just got back to team drills," the coach said, and the staff wants to continue Penix's acclimation period rather than force live reps in a game that means little. Tua Tagovailoa is listed to start for Miami, with Cooper Rush and Jack Strand scheduled to follow.
Michael Penix Jr. will not play in Friday's preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa will start. Cooper Rush and Jack Strand to come in after.View on X →
Tori McElhaney (@tori_mcelhaney): Michael Penix Jr. will not play in Friday's preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa will start. Cooper Rush and Jack Strand to come in after.
Penix, for his part, isn't alarmed. He told reporters he feels good and confident and is "getting better every day" with the rhythm coming back, and that while sitting out this week leaves him with only three practices under his belt, he believes he'll be ready for Week 1. He also offered a revealing detail on the knee itself: the procedure he underwent this time was a different one intended to further strengthen the ACL, which he said is part of why the return has taken slightly longer than his two prior knee injuries.
"I felt good. I felt confident." Michael Penix Jr. said he is getting better every day, getting the rhythm where he wants it to be. "Not playing this week, with only three practice under my belt," but said he feels like he'll be ready for Week 1.View on X →
Tori McElhaney (@tori_mcelhaney): "I felt good. I felt confident." Michael Penix Jr. said he is getting better every day, getting the rhythm where he wants it to be. "Not playing this week, with only three practice under my belt," but said he feels like he'll be ready for Week 1.
That context matters. Penix's 2025 knee issue was the reason Atlanta's offseason tilted the way it did, and any hint of a slower-than-expected ramp draws scrutiny. But the through-line from the Falcons' camp has been consistency: medically cleared, listed as the starter on the final preseason depth chart, and now — per the quarterback himself — targeting the opener. Friday's absence is a precaution, not a new alarm.