The Atlanta Falcons are unfortunately going back to square one. They had a messy 2024 season, signing QB Kirk Cousins to a massive contract and then drafting QB Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the draft. At the time, the logic seemed to be that Cousins would be the starter now, and Penix would be the Falcons' franchise quarterback in the future.
A year later, and the Falcons are once again facing a conundrum at the quarterback position. Cousins has proven to be ineffective as the QB1, forcing Atlanta to start Penix midway through last season. Penix remained the starter until the 2025 season, though his results have not been as impressive as fans want to see from a first-round QB.
And then came the injury. In Week 11 of the 2025 season, Penix suffered a season-ending ACL tear during the Falcons' loss to the Carolina Panthers. Cousins will now be thrust back into the limelight as the starter, but his performance this season shows that he's not cut out to be a starting QB anymore.
With Penix most likely being out until 2026, the Falcons are left scrambling for options at quarterback. Despite the uncertain future, though, head coach Raheem Morris wants to just focus on the now.
“Morris said you do have to change your QB plans in the offseason now with Penix's injury,” Marc Raimondi reported on X. “Morris said they'll cross that bridge when it comes. #Falcons”
Given Penix's injury history (third ACL tear in his career), it's unlikely that he returns next season for the Falcons. That leaves Atlanta at a tough position. They do not have a first-round pick to draft a QB or trade for one, and they'll have to search for a quarterback in a free agency class that's pretty thin at the QB position.
Unless Cousins somehow reverts to his pre-Achilles tear self, it's hard to see the Falcons' situation get better anytime soon.
