Michael Penix Jr. said it may be "another four weeks" before he is cleared to start practicing, but is hopeful it is sooner.

EDGE Analysis

A four week timeline puts Penix returning right before the Week 1, and gives plenty of time for Tua Tagovailoa to build rapport with the starters. It's looking likely that Penix will begin the year as the primary backup QB.

Penix (ACL) said Tuesday at mandatory minicamp that "the expectation" is for him to participate in 11-on-11 drills during training camp, though he will first need to gain clearance from team doctors, Will McFadden of the Falcons' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Penix did not participate in full-team drills at mandatory minicamp, though he reportedly showed no signs of discomfort while taking 7-on-7 and individual reps as well as footwork drills with quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt. The 26-year-old signal-caller spoke positively about his recovery progress, saying "each and every day that I come out here, I feel better than the day before." Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Penix is "exactly where he needs to be." Once Penix is fully cleared, he will face a competition with Tua Tagovailoa for the Week 1 starting job.

Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday that Penix (ACL) has not been cleared to participate in 11-on-11 team drills at mandatory minicamp, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Stefanski reiterated that Atlanta remains "very comfortable" with the rehab progress Penix has made in his recovery from a left ACL tear. Regarding the Falcons' quarterback competition between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa, Stefanski said "we're not giving out any jobs in June." By all accounts, Atlanta's true QB competition won't kick off until Penix has been cleared to suit up for full-team reps. That said, Stefanski declined to state whether he expects Penix to be cleared by the start of training camp in July. If Penix remains limited to individual drills at that point, Tagovailoa will have a tangible opportunity to build early momentum.

Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski declined to announce Monday whether or not Penix (knee) will be ready to handle 11-on-11 reps during mandatory minicamp next week, Marc Raimondi of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Stefanski said during OTAs in May that clearance for Penix to handle team reps would be "coming soon" and that the quarterback has impressed in 7-on-7 drills, but it remains to be seen whether the 2024 first-round pick will be on the field for full-team activities during minicamp. The 26-year-old had a scheduled day off Monday, and Stefanski said he is "hitting every milestone he's supposed to hit" in his rehab. Penix is recovering from mid-November surgery to repair a partially torn left ACL. Stefanski also noted that Atlanta's quarterback competition between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa will not truly begin until both players are available for full-team reps.

Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that Penix (ACL) has not yet been cleared for 11-on-11 drills at OTAs, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Penix took part in non-contact 7-on-7 drills and individual work during OTAs in mid-May, but he's not yet ready to ramp up his participation level to 11-on-11 activities. In the meantime, the full allotment of such reps will go the way of Tua Tagovailoa. Once Penix is fully recovered from the surgery he underwent in mid-November of the 2025 season to repair a partially torn left ACL, however, he and Tagovailoa will be slated to compete for No. 1 reps. Stefanski declined to offer a specific assessment of Penix's rehab progress to date, per Raimondi, though he said the 2024 first-round pick is doing "outstanding" and is "exactly where he needs to be" despite not yet being "100 percent."

Penix (knee) will participate in 7-on-7s and individual drills Tuesday, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Practices in May are no-contact, and mostly at less than full speed. It's nonetheless a good sign for Penix to be on the field in any fashion less than six months removed from surgery to repair the third ACL tear of his football career. Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski hinted at a return to full-team drills in the not-so-distant future, but that doesn't necessarily mean Penix will be cleared for contact during training camp in late July. Stefanski also mentioned that the team will be "very intentional" about splitting reps between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa, per Tori McElhaney of the team's official site. The Falcons have made it clear they signed Tagovailoa to compete for the starting job, even if Penix clears all medical hurdles long before Week 1.

The Falcons shared a video Tuesday showing Penix (knee - ACL) throwing to Drake London during spring offseason workouts, Marc Raimondi of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Penix is six months into his recovery from a partially torn left ACL suffered in mid-November of the 2025 season, his third such injury in the last eight years, so his participation in throwing drills is an encouraging sign. Atlanta has confirmed that the third-year QB is taking part in Phase 2 of the offseason program, which includes individual and group work but not yet 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 team drills. Beyond continuing his rehab and meeting the expected trajectory of Year 3 development, Penix also faces the challenge of learning new head coach Kevin Stefanski's offense while competing for the starting job with fellow southpaw Tua Tagovailoa, who signed a one-year, $1.3 million deal with Atlanta this offseason. Penix has offered optimism that he will be ready for Week 1, though the Falcons haven't provided an official timetable for his recovery.

Falcons GM Ian Cunningham confirmed Friday that the team is bringing in Tua Tagovailoa to compete with Penix (knee) for the starting quarterback role, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Tagovailoa has agreed to a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Falcons and will join the team if he passes his physical. Both Penix and Tua are left-handed quarterbacks who have dealt with numerous injuries. Penix underwent surgery in November to repair a partially torn ACL in his left knee, but he's aiming to be healthy ahead of Week 1. Once healthy, Penix is slated to compete with Tagovailoa for the starting job.

Penix (knee) won't necessarily be Atlanta's starting quarterback once he's healthy, as new addition Tua Tagovailoa will get a real chance to earn the role, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

It looks like a good situation for Tagovailoa to rehab his value while Penix rehabs from the third ACL tear of his football career. Both are left-handed, theoretically making things easier for new head coach Kevin Stefanski, after his predecessors in Atlanta went back-and-forth between Penix and the right-handed Kirk Cousins for two years. That was hardly the only issue with Atlanta's passing game, as neither QB played particularly well, and WR depth was among the worst in the league. The Falcons are now signing WRs Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus to replace Darnell Mooney, but it'll be a while before Penix throws passes to his new teammates. Tagovailoa figures to handle first-team reps throughout the offseason program and into training camp, at the very least. Beyond that, a lot will depend on health, with both lefties sporting poor track records for availability.

Penix (knee) said Wednesday he "look[s] forward to being back Week 1," but he added "we'll see" and noted that Atlanta's medical staff will have "the last word" on his recovery timetable, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

EDGE Analysis

Penix mentioned his familiarity with the process of rehabbing from ACL tears, as he suffered similar injuries twice during his collegiate career, both to his right knee. Currently, Penix is rehabbing from a torn left ACL for which he underwent surgery Nov. 25, roughly 9.5 months prior to Week 1 of the 2026 campaign. That places Week 1 squarely within the typical 9-to-12-month recovery timetable for ACL tears, albeit on the earlier end of the scale. Per Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site, new head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Tuesday that Penix already has resumed "attacking his rehab" at the team's training facility. Stefanski expressed excitement about Penix as "a young player who will continue to develop and continue to get better." Meanwhile, veteran Kirk Cousins is the only other quarterback under contract with Atlanta for 2026, though he reworked his deal with the team in early January in a maneuver that likely will result in either another restructure or his release prior to March 13, per Field Yates of ESPN.