If Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was looking for a vote of confidence from the revamped Atlanta front office, he didn’t get it during new GM Ian Cunningham’s introductory press conference on Tuesday.
When asked if Penix, who is recovering from a torn ACL that prematurely ended his second NFL season in November, will be the team’s starter in 2026, new Falcons president of football operations Matt Ryan — also a former Atlanta quarterback from 2008-2021 — did not give a definitive answer.
“Neither of us are the head coach of the football team, so we can’t answer your question on that,” Ryan said. ” … I think as we start to get into this process and dive deeper into the roster — how it currently stands, where it’s going in the future — I think those are conversations that’ll be a part of it.
“Quarterback’s obviously very important, and we’re excited about Mike and what he’s doing with his rehab. I’ve been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael’s been in there attacking that and he’s in a good space right now, so we’re excited about where he is at. But certainly, a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster.”
Penix, who Atlanta selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft months after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal in free agency, took over the starting job late in his rookie season and entered 2025 as the starter.
This past season, he completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions in nine starts. The Falcons went 3-6 in games he started compared to a 5-3 record in Cousins’ starts after he replaced Penix following his injury.
Cousins is likely to be released this offseason due to his significant salary, especially after the team restructured his contract in January.
With Penix’s return timeline for the start of the 2026 season uncertain, that could force Atlanta to look for a quarterback either in free agency or April’s draft if it elects to move on from Cousins after two seasons.
