Michael Penix Jr. is still working his way back, and the final step is the one that matters most: taking hits.
The Falcons quarterback has torn his ACL three times, with two of those injuries coming in college at Indiana before he transferred to Washington. He suffered another ACL tear with Atlanta last season, and that history is why training camp has been a limited process for him so far.
Right now, Penix still hasn’t been cleared for full-contact 11-on-11 work. He’s been restricted to individual drills and 7-on-7 action while Tua Tagovailoa has handled the Falcons’ starting QB duties.
Both are left-handed quarterbacks with careers that have had their share of ups and downs, and Tagovailoa appears set to open Week 1 as Penix continues to recover. Still, Penix could reclaim the job once he’s fully back.
Penix says the throwing, moving and operating part of the position isn’t the problem. The concern is contact, and he knows that’s the hurdle he has to clear.
“If i had a rush coming at me, I can get away,” Penix said. “It's just, if I don't get away, that's what we're thinking about right now, if I don't get away. I don't think my doctor is ready for me to take those hits right now, but that time is coming real soon.”
Atlanta has every reason to be careful with him. With Penix’s injury history, another setback would be the worst possible outcome. The Falcons want him back sooner rather than later, and the signs point to that return getting closer.
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