Falcons HC on Michael Penix Jr: ‘He’s our future’
The Atlanta Falcons floundering down the standings has pushed them out of the NFC South division lead.
The Falcons’ skid has been highlighted by former Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins’ struggles. He has failed to throw a touchdown during the team’s four-game losing streak.
It has once again sparked the conversation around the Falcons’ future regarding Cousins’ grip hold over the starting job. Head coach Raheem Morris addressed the situation by discussing Michael Penix’s status beyond this season.
“I told you right from the beginning, he’s our future,” Morris said via ESPN. “… And to be able to have the respect, to be able to have the confidence, to be able to have the wherewithal to support Kirk and all this stuff, too, it’s a great learning lesson for him as well. So, when you go through all that process, you can look at different organizations [that have] pulled the trigger and put guys out there too early and it’s gone terrible, and I don’t want to be that guy.”
Since the Falcons selected Michael Penix with the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft, there has been a lingering conversation about Cousins despite his inking a four-year, $160 million deal in March.
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However, Morris’ comments have seemingly put a pin on that discussion as the team appears to be steadfast, with Cousins leading the charge through the remainder of the 2024 season. The Falcons head into their Week 15 matchup against the Las Vegas Raider,s trailing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a game for the division lead.
