Michael Penix Jr.

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• Falcons' Michael Penix: Expects to take team reps at camp

  06/17/2026 • By RotoWire

  Penix (ACL) said Tuesday at mandatory minicamp that "the expectation" is for him to participate in 11-on-11 drills during training camp, though he will first need to gain clearance from team doctors, Will McFadden of the Falcons' official site reports. Penix did not participate in full-team drills at mandatory minicamp, though he reportedly showed no signs of discomfort while taking 7-on-7 and individual reps as well as footwork drills with quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt. The 26-year-old signal-caller spoke positively about his recovery progress, saying "each and every day that I come out here, I feel better than the day before." Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Penix is "exactly where he needs to be." Once Penix is fully cleared, he will face a competition with Tua Tagovailoa for the Week 1 starting job.

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• Falcons' Michael Penix: Still not ready for 11-on-11 drills

  06/16/2026 • By RotoWire

  Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday that Penix (ACL) has not been cleared to participate in 11-on-11 drills at mandatory minicamp, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports. Stefanski reiterated that Atlanta remains "very comfortable" with the progress Penix has made in his recovery from left ACL surgery. Regarding the quarterback competition between the 2024 first-round pick and former Dolphin Tua Tagovailoa, Stefanski said "we're not giving out any jobs in June." By all accounts, the QB competition won't truly kick off until Penix has been cleared for full-team reps, but the head coach declined to state whether that's expected to happen by the start of training camp in July. If Penix remains limited to individual drills at that point, Tagovailoa will likely begin to pull ahead.

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• Falcons' Michael Penix: Team reps at minicamp TBD

  06/09/2026 • By RotoWire

  Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski declined to announce Monday whether or not Penix (knee) will be ready to handle 11-on-11 reps during mandatory minicamp next week, Marc Raimondi of ESPN reports. Stefanski said during OTAs in May that clearance for Penix to handle team reps would be "coming soon" and that the quarterback has impressed in 7-on-7 drills, but it remains to be seen whether the 2024 first-round pick will be on the field for full-team activities during minicamp. The 26-year-old had a scheduled day off Monday, and Stefanski said he is "hitting every milestone he's supposed to hit" in his rehab. Penix is recovering from mid-November surgery to repair a partially torn left ACL. Stefanski also noted that Atlanta's quarterback competition between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa will not truly begin until both players are available for full-team reps.

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• Falcons' Michael Penix: Not yet cleared for full-team drills

  05/27/2026 • By RotoWire

  Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that Penix (ACL) has not yet been cleared for 11-on-11 drills at OTAs, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports. Penix took part in non-contact 7-on-7 drills and individual work during OTAs in mid-May, but he's not yet ready to ramp up his participation level to 11-on-11 activities. In the meantime, the full allotment of such reps will go the way of Tua Tagovailoa. Once Penix is fully recovered from the surgery he underwent in mid-November of the 2025 season to repair a partially torn left ACL, however, he and Tagovailoa will be slated to compete for No. 1 reps. Stefanski declined to offer a specific assessment of Penix's rehab progress to date, per Raimondi, though he said the 2024 first-round pick is doing "outstanding" and is "exactly where he needs to be" despite not yet being "100 percent."

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• Falcons' Michael Penix: Taking part in 7-on-7s

  05/19/2026 • By RotoWire

  Penix (knee) will participate in 7-on-7s and individual drills Tuesday, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports. Practices in May are no-contact, and mostly at less than full speed. It's nonetheless a good sign for Penix to be on the field in any fashion less than six months removed from surgery to repair the third ACL tear of his football career. Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski hinted at a return to full-team drills in the not-so-distant future, but that doesn't necessarily mean Penix will be cleared for contact during training camp in late July. Stefanski also mentioned that the team will be "very intentional" about splitting reps between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa, per Tori McElhaney of the team's official site. The Falcons have made it clear they signed Tagovailoa to compete for the starting job, even if Penix clears all medical hurdles long before Week 1.

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