Michael Penix Jr. just put together the kind of performance that gets the league’s attention.
After helping the Atlanta Falcons beat the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7, Penix was voted NFC Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday. It’s the first Player of the Week honor of his NFL career since joining the league in 2024.
Against San Francisco, Penix was sharp from start to finish. He finished 25 of 34 for 213 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, with a 73.5 percent completion rate and a 118.9 passer rating. That passer rating was his second-best mark of the season, and it came against one of the NFC’s better defenses.
The numbers also showed a quarterback settling into a strong rhythm. Penix has now thrown three touchdown passes in back-to-back games, after doing it in Atlanta’s Week 6 loss to the Chicago Bears and then matching that production against the 49ers. He was also the only quarterback in the conference in Week 7 to throw at least three touchdowns without an interception while completing at least 70 percent of his passes.
Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski pointed to Penix’s poise and decision-making against a defense that rarely gives much away.
“I thought Mike was really good throughout the day. You know, that's a very, very good defense.
I mean they're excellent and they don't give up big plays. And we took our shots when we had them, and when we didn't, I thought Mike saw it really well,” Stefanski said after the victory.
Atlanta needed that kind of calm. The Falcons fell behind 14-3 before ripping off 26 straight points in a run that carried them into the fourth quarter. The protection held up too, giving Penix a clean pocket all day and not allowing him to be sacked.
The win snapped Atlanta’s two-game skid and set the stage for a big divisional test next. The Falcons head to Tampa Bay in Week 8 to face the Buccaneers, with a chance to keep building momentum in the NFC South.
For Penix, the award is a clear milestone. For Atlanta, it’s a sign that the quarterback’s recent surge is giving the team something real to lean on.
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