Michael Penix Jr. said Tuesday he finally began feeling healthy enough to play in a game late last week and had his rising confidence confirmed when his surgically repaired left knee reacted well to a strenuous workout on Saturday.
asserted
knee → say → Saturday
The Falcons announced on Monday that Penix will start on Thursday night at Green Bay.
asserted
Penix → announce → Bay
The decision came one day after Cooper Rush again struggled as the fill-in starter in Sunday’s 34-3 loss to NFC South rival Carolina.
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Rush → come → Carolina
“I’m very excited, you know, obviously excited to be able to be out there,” Penix said following Tuesday’s practice.
asserted
Penix → ’m → practice
“You know, I’m going to war with my brothers, so it’s very exciting when you make the final decision.”
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you → know → decision
When asked if he had been targeting the Week 3 game at Green Bay, Penix said “being healthy” was his only target.
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being → ask → Bay
Penix said he had still been experiencing some soreness in the knee until last week.
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he → say → week
He said he spoke with coach Kevin Stefanski on Saturday.
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he → say → Saturday
The conversation followed what Penix described as “a big workout” after he had been ruled out of the game against Carolina.
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he → follow → Carolina
Penix said Saturday’s workout was designed “just to see how my knee reacted from a big workout and it was good.
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it → say → workout
So that’s really kind of what helped me with that decision, my workout on Saturday, and just pushing to the limit and seeing what I can take.”
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I → ’ → what
Penix said when he felt no soreness on Sunday, he spoke with Stefanski to talk about how his knee had felt better through the week.
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knee → say → week
Penix said he decided then he would be ready to play against the Packers but spoke with Stefanski again on Monday “just to obviously solidify that.”
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he → say → that
Falcons offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said Tuesday that Penix has “looked sharp without any limitations” in practice.
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Penix → say → practice
“He’s moved in the pocket.
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He → move → pocket
He’s gotten outside of the pocket.”
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He → get → pocket
He completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions.
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He → complete → touchdowns
Rush and rookie Jack Strand have combined to throw five interceptions with only one touchdown in two games.
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Rush → combine → games
Penix, Tua Tagovailoa, Rush and Strand practiced on Tuesday.
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Penix → practice → Tuesday
Tagovailoa missed the first two games after suffering an oblique injury before Atlanta’s 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers to open the season.
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Tagovailoa → miss → season
The Falcons (0-2) have not announced who will be Penix’s backup at Green Bay.
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who → announce → Bay
Rush struggled with accuracy and arm strength against Carolina.
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Rush → struggle → Carolina
Rees said arm strength shouldn’t be an issue for the left-handed Penix.
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strength → say → Penix
The Falcons are looking to better utilize wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts, who have a combined seven receptions through two games.
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who → look → games
“There’s not a ton of guys out there with that arm talent,” said Rees of Penix.
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Rees → ’ → Penix
Penix will be making his first start since a 30-27 overtime loss to Carolina on Nov. 16, 2025.
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Penix → make → Nov.
Penix tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the third quarter.
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Penix → tear → quarter
He previously had two ACL injuries to his right knee and was determined to make sure he was fully recovered before returning this season.
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he → have → knee
“Whenever I felt like I can go out there, like I said, get out of all that soreness and get stronger each and every day, that’s what it was always about,” Penix said.
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Penix → feel → what
“So once I felt healthy, it felt like I was ready to go.”
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I → feel → ?
Cornerback A.J. Terrell will miss at least four games after being placed on injured reserve with a groin injury.
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Terrell → miss → injury
Terrell suffered the injury in the first quarter against Carolina.
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Terrell → suffer → Carolina
C.J. Henderson played behind Terrell and is the probable starter at Green Bay.
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Henderson → play → Bay
Terrell will be eligible to return in Week 7 against San Francisco.
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Terrell → return → Francisco
Defensive lineman Zach Harrison was signed to the active roster in a corresponding move.
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Harrison → sign → move
Center James Brockermeyer was released from the practice squad and offensive lineman Colby Sorsdal was signed to the practice squad.
asserted
Sorsdal → release → squad
The Aporia
