The Falcons aren’t ready to make any commitment to a starting quarterback at this point in the calendar.
Michael Penix was drafted in the first round by the previous regime, but his first full season as a starter was cut short when he tore his ACL in November. The team has since hired head coach Kevin Stefanski, General Manager Ian Cunningham, and president of football Matt Ryan, and Ryan said at a Tuesday press conference introducing Cunningham that the new braintrust has to break down the entire roster before they come up with plans for who will be on the field come September.
“Neither of us are the head coach of the football team, so we can’t answer your question on that. . . . I think as we start to get into this process and dive deeper into the roster — how it currently stands, where it’s going in the future — I think those are conversations that’ll be a part of it,” Ryan said, via Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com “Quarterback’s obviously very important, and we’re excited about Mike and what he’s doing with his rehab. I’ve been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael’s been in there attacking that and he’s in a good space right now, so we’re excited about where he is at. But certainly, a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster.”
Given the timing of Penix’s injury, it’s not a sure thing that he’ll be ready to go for Week 1. Kirk Cousins finished out the 2025 season as the starter, but he’s expected to be released after reworking his contract so the Falcons may be in the market for an addition at quarterback next month.
