Penix, the former Washington Huskies standout, was named the Falcons starter in Week 16, replacing veteran Kirk Cousins, who struggled for more than a month. Penix was picked No.

What a stretch it has been Atlanta Falcons rookie Michael Penix Jr. First, it was announced he'd be taking over for veteran Kirk Cousins after the struggling starting quarterback threw one too many interceptions this season.

The Falcons are assured of their best record since a 10-6 finish under coach Dan Quinn in 2017, their most recent playoff season. Quinn is in his first season as Washington’s coach and has led the Commanders (10-5) to three straight wins, including Sunday’s 36-33 victory over Philadelphia.

Rookie Michael Penix Jr. made his first NFL start in place of Kirk Cousins, and it's fair to wonder if Cousins will play another meaningful snap for Atlanta.

But Falcons head coach Raheem Morris felt his 24-year-old signal caller delivered an "almost flawless" performance, avoiding fatal mistakes and operating a high level to help Atlanta get its largest win in over four years.

The Atlanta Falcons have to be happy with what they saw from rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in his first NFL start. While the numbers don’t jump out, Penix’s decisiveness, arm talent and pocket mobility were on display during Sunday’s 34-7 win over the New York Giants.

Michael Penix Jr. steps in as Falcons' QB, aiming to energize their playoff run after Kirk Cousins' struggles. Find out more about him here.

Taking over as the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback isn't the only life milestone Michael Penix Jr. is hitting this season. Penix proposed to his

Michael Penix Jr. had a lot on his plate this week. On Sunday, he made his debut as an NFL starter, leading the Atlanta Falcons to a win over the New York Giants. Later in the week, he got engaged. In a video posted to Instagram on Saturday,