Michael Penix Jr. named starting QB for Atlanta Falcons ahead of crucial Giants matchup

ATLANA - The Atlanta Falcons have named Michael Penix Jr. as their starting quarterback, head coach Raheem Morris announced Tuesday.

"After review, we have made the decision Michael Penix Jr. will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward," Morris said in a statement. "This was a football decision, and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants."

The decision comes as the Falcons aim to improve their performance heading into the critical matchup against New York. Penix, a rookie out of Washington, was selected by the Falcons in the first round of the NFL draft and has been competing for the starting role.

"I think the change is warranted," said FOX 5's DJ Shockley.

Rookie Michael Penix Jr. handed the ball

Penix, 24, was the eighth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Washington quarterback. 

He led FBS schools with 4,903 passing yards and was third with 36 touchdown passes. 

Michael Penix Jr. #9 of the Atlanta Falcons warms up prior to a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on December 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)

He won the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top player. 

Penix threw for 255 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions as No. 2 Washington fell to top-ranked Michigan 34-13 in the College Football Playoff championship game. 

"You know, when I think about this whole process of them drafting Michael PenixMichael Penix, you think about they went out to Washington and they were real excited about having Michael Penix Jr.," said Shockley. "He was one of those guys you can't miss on. And they went out and saw him and they saw him in crazy wind and he was ripping it, throwing it all over the place, and they felt very good about him. They thought he would be the future, but I don't think they figured he would be the future this soon."

Penix began his college career at Indiana, where he tore his right ACL in 2018 and 2020 and had shoulder injuries in both 2019 and 2021.

Kirk Cousin benched

The decision comes after the 13-year veteran showed that his game needed some improvement during the last three matchups.

"He’s got to play better," Morris said after the Falcons escaped Monday night with a 15-9 road win over the lowly Las Vegas Raiders. 

Kirk Cousins #18 of the Atlanta Falcons looks on before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 08, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Sources say the Falcons had not yet watched the film from Monday night's game by Tuesday afternoon.

"Ultimately, I think they saw some things that has not gotten better," said Shockley.

Cousins was a lackluster 11-of-17 passing for 112 yards with one touchdown and an interception. He entered with no touchdown passes and eight interceptions over his previous four starts.

"Obviously, the way Kirk has played the last five games has not been the best, and I'll say that and that's not a shot at Kirk. That's not, you know, saying one thing or another, and it's the facts of where we are talking about a guy who," said Shockley.

In 159 career starts, it was Cousins’ third-fewest number of completions and fourth-lowest total in passing yards. Cousins leads the NFL with a career-high 16 interceptions. When asked where his biggest area of improvement lies, Cousins was forthright in saying he has to do a better job of protecting the football.

"You lose confidence if you don't play well, and he's coming to a new team where a lot of expectations and expectations are that they are playing a lot of prime-time games," said Shockley.

Before his four-week drought, Cousins never endured consecutive weeks without a touchdown pass.

Atlanta is sitting one game back of the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South.

The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed.