QB Michael Penix Jr. of the Atlanta Falcons has a lengthy history of injuries, and there are concerns over his age. Positive impressions of Michael Penix Jr., the new quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, are prevalent. Perhaps it was him lifting the Sugar Bowl trophy after guiding Washington to a College Football Playoff semifinal victory over the Texas Longhorns, or perhaps it was him as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Others, however, may witness him collapsing to the ground during Indiana’s 2021 defeat to Penn State in the third quarter, sustaining his fourth serious collegiate injury in as many seasons. Penix has literally had some bumps and bruises on his trip to Flowery Branch. Three games into his true freshman season in 2018, the product of Tampa, Florida, tore his left ACL. 2020 saw him re-tear the same ACL. His right (non-throwing) shoulder experienced a dislocated SC joint in the interim. After just five games in 2021, he dislocated a joint in his throwing shoulder. His season ended with each injury. He never played more than seven games in a single year until leaving Indiana following the 2021 campaign. Penix, however, found consistency at Washington, where he started all 28 games over the course of two seasons and demonstrated his durability throughout a lengthy campaign. The Falcons dug deep into Penix’s injury history during the pre-draft phase, with general manager Terry Fontenot and crew spending a lot of time with Atlanta’s trainers and medical staff. With the conviction that Penix’s injury issues are behind him, the Falcons selected him eighth overall after clearing Penix and feeling so confident in his on-field skill set. Fontenot stated, “It does mean a lot that he’s played well these last two years.” “We felt good about it, but obviously we’re always thinking forward and doing everything we can to prevent injuries.”
Furthermore, Penix’s injuries provided favourable information to Atlanta’s braintrust. Penix, who finished third in touchdowns with 36 this past season and led the FBS with 4,903 throwing yards, was praised for his resilience by both Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and Fontenot. Morris contrasted Penix’s experience with his own, which included going 4-7 as Atlanta’s interim head coach in 2020 and being sacked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2011 following a disastrous tenure as a young head coach. Penix and the two veterans who occupy the quarterback’s room in Atlanta right now, Kirk Cousins and Taylor Heinicke, have certain things in common as well. The largest obstacle Cousins had in his early career was getting on the field; in his first three seasons as Robert Gryphon III’s backup with the now-Washington Commanders, he made just nine starts. Heinicke’s journey began on the practice squad of the Minnesota Vikings and included a period in 2020 when he took a break from football to focus on getting ready for a new chapter in his life. Morris feels that the fact that they are all together now highlights the design of the room. Morris stated, “There’s something about people who can overcome hardship, something about people who can handle hardship, and something about people who can literally bounce back from all different types of walks of life and be here.” One concern for Penix is injuries. Another is age. The 6-2, 216-pound lefty is already an older prospect because he turns 24 on May 8. Cousins, who has a shot to be Atlanta’s starting signal caller through 2027 and is guaranteed $90 million over the next two years, only makes matters worse. Penix probably won’t take to the pitch until he is at least 26, if not 27. Though many expect quarterbacks selected in the top 10 to start their careers early, modern quarterbacks are playing into their later years. Fontenot, though, believes Penix is not abnormal. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial appeal of NIL, Fontenot stated that more players are remaining in college for longer periods of time, producing older prospects. This has led to the NCAA granting athletes an extra year of eligibility. In the first round, Penix wasn’t the only one. Jayden Daniels, who turns 24 in December, was chosen second overall by the commanders. Bo Nix, who was taken by the Denver Broncos at No. 12, is already 24 years old. For this reason, Fontenot doesn’t care about Penix’s age at this time or in the future. That’s not a problem, according to Fontenot. “We are really confident in him. Furthermore, we are quite pleased with the way he plays the game. His age doesn’t worry me in a bad sense. If Penix waits to play until he is much older, the Falcons see it as a sign that Cousins’ time behind centre is probably going pretty well. At his press conference following the draft, Fontenot stated, “If he sits for four or five years, that’s a great problem to have because we’re doing so well at that position.” Penix has been facing the physical and mental demands of the position for the past few years, so the Falcons are certain he’ll be ready when it comes time for him to play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “Over my career, I’ve experienced a lot,” Penix remarked. But I think that all of the hardship has strengthened and toughened me. I’ve become the person and player I am now because of everything that has happened to me. Thus, I wouldn’t suggest that I make any changes. additionally.
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