The Atlanta Falcons are fading fast.
They have lost five straight, but have managed to lose more than that. Atlanta has lost ground in the playoff race, they lost Drake London and now they might’ve lost Michael Penix Jr. as well.
Penix suffered a knee injury during the Falcons’ Week 11 loss to the Carolina Panthers, which has sparked plenty of concern around his status moving forward. Despite initially being listed as questionable to return, the question is now whether he can even return this season.
It would represent a major blow to an already struggling Atlanta unit, which is trending towards another season outside the playoff picture.
Here is the latest on the Penix.
How long is Michael Penix Jr. out?
On Nov. 17, the Falcons placed Penix on IR, meaning he will miss a minimum of four games.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the quarterback suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported that Penix would be placed on IR, forcing him to miss the next four games of the season after reaggravating a bone bruise and knee sprain that the passer suffered earlier in 2025.
Penix may have also damaged his ACL, and that reconstructive surgery is an option, which would put him out for the remainder of the season.
Schefter adds that the quarterback will get a second opinion, but there isn’t a lot of optimism at the moment.
It was believed that Penix aggravated the bone bruise injury that sidelined him for Week 8, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
Additional tests would confirm the severity of the injury and set a potential timetable for a return.
There didn’t seem to be a lot of concern for Penix initially, who was listed as questionable to return. Head coach Raheem Morris said after the game that he believed there was a chance that Penix could have come back but that things ‘didn’t look good.’
Unfortunately for the Falcons’ second-year quarterback, he is no stranger to knee injuries. Penix has already torn his left ACL twice, which ended his seasons in 2018 and 2020. Then he suffered the bone bruise to the same knee in Week 7 of the 2025 season.
For the fading Falcons, Penix’s potential absence likely won’t make a difference in the playoff race.
Falcons QB depth chart
Michael Penix Jr. (injured)
Kirk Cousins
Easton Stick (practice squad)
Unlike most NFL teams, the Falcons have a capable backup slotted in behind Penix that comes with a wealth of playing experience.
Cousins knows a thing or two about being a starter in the NFL, so all hope isn’t lost. The veteran has struggled since arriving in Atlanta as a free agent signing ahead of the 2024 season, however. Whether that’s due to his fit in the Falcons’ offense or a product of the torn Achilles that ended his 2023 season is up for debate.
Stick figures to step up as the backup for Cousins in the event of a Penix absence.