Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is anticipated to sit out the rest of the 2025 NFL season following a knee injury sustained in Sunday’s 30-27 overtime defeat to the Carolina Panthers, according to sources close to the team.
Initial assessments suggest possible ACL damage, though additional diagnostic tests are underway to confirm the full extent of the issue. The Falcons issued a statement confirming Penix’s placement on injured reserve, which will keep him out for a minimum of four games while the medical team evaluates the injury’s severity.
In Penix’s absence, veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins stepped in during the loss and is set to reclaim the starting role. The defeat leaves Atlanta with a 3-7 record heading into their next matchup.
Penix had completed 13 of 16 passes for 175 yards before exiting the game with 5:22 remaining in the third quarter after an incomplete pass attempt. He briefly attempted to stand but collapsed again, prompting him to remove his helmet on the sideline.
This marks the second knee-related setback for Penix this season; he previously missed the Week 7 clash against the San Francisco 49ers due to a bone bruise in his left knee.
Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s season is expected to be over after he suffered a knee injury in Sunday’s loss to the Panthers.
During his college career at Indiana and Washington, Michael Penix Jr. suffered four season-ending injuries, including torn ACLs in both 2018 and 2020 — adding significant context to the latest knee issue that is expected to end his 2025 campaign.
This season, before the injury, Penix had completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, 11 touchdowns, and just three interceptions.
After Penix left Sunday’s game, Kirk Cousins entered and went 6-of-14 for 48 yards in relief.
The Falcons made headlines in 2024 when they signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million fully guaranteed, only to draft Penix six weeks later with the No. 8 overall pick — a move widely seen as securing both the present and the future at quarterback.
Cousins opened the 2025 season as the starter but struggled over a five-game span, throwing nine interceptions. That prompted the coaching staff to turn to Penix starting in Week 16, with the rookie declared the quarterback “moving forward.” Many expected Atlanta to trade or release Cousins in the offseason given his massive contract, yet the organization has kept the veteran on the roster as a highly paid backup — a role he now resumes with Penix sidelined for the year.
