Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury during Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Penix will be seeking a second opinion, the sources told Schefter.
Veteran Kirk Cousins replaced Penix on Sunday in the eventual 30-27 overtime loss at home and will take over as the Falcons’ starting quarterback with Penix sidelined. The loss dropped the Falcons to 3-7.
Penix was 13-of-16 for 175 yards before getting hit with 5:22 left in the third quarter on an incomplete pass. Penix tried to get up but then hit the turf again and took off his helmet.
Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s season could be over after he suffered a knee injury in Sunday’s loss to the Panthers. Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The is the second knee injury Penix has dealt with this season. He had a left knee bone bruise that kept him out of the Falcons’ game against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7.
In college, Penix had four season-ending injuries, including a pair of torn ACLs in 2018 and 2020, respectively.
Penix has completed 60.1% of his passes this season for 1,982 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Cousins was 6-of-14 for 48 yards after coming in on the subsequent offensive series.
The Falcons signed Cousins in 2024 to a $100 million guaranteed contract but then selected Penix a few weeks later with the No. 8 overall pick in the draft. Atlanta believed it was shoring up its present and future of the quarterback position.
Cousins was the starter last season before a five-game stretch in which he threw nine interceptions. Penix took over in Week 16, and the Falcons said he would start moving forward. The expectation was that the Falcons would trade or release Cousins, but the organization was comfortable with him as the backup despite the hefty price tag.
