Former Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. earns praise from Falcons coaching staff despite recent struggles in training camp

Michael Penix Jr. had the toughest outing of his Falcons training camp so far, but the team isn’t hitting the panic button.

The first year starter went just 8-of-21 during 11-on-11 work, showing signs of inaccuracy and inconsistency that have yet to be ironed out. While a few of his incompletions came on dropped passes, Penix also missed open targets in ways that Atlanta likely hoped would be cleaned up by now.

It’s a growing pain moment for Penix, who enters his first full season as the Falcons’ starting quarterback. He showed promise during his three-game run to close out last season, but now he’s being asked to command the offense from the jump and do it without top receiver Darnell Mooney, who’s currently sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Even with the rough day on paper, the Falcons' coaching staff continues to express full confidence in the former Washington star. Giving him time and patience as he goes through the growing pains of being QB1.

“There are times where it feels like he just missed, and the next time he’s hitting those,” offensive coordinator Zac Robinson told reporters. “That’s been really positive. He’s doing a great job leading those guys, and we’re really pleased with where Mike is at.”

Robinson acknowledged Penix’s accuracy issues but emphasized that the staff remains encouraged by his command of the offense and leadership within the huddle.

While the numbers weren’t pretty, there’s little concern within the building about his trajectory. Penix has already earned the trust of teammates and coaches alike, and it’s clear they’re taking the long view with their quarterback of the future.

This wasn’t his sharpest day, but if this is part of the process, the Falcons are more than willing to ride it out  the tough patches, because they still believe Penix is the one who can lead a franchise that has not seen the postseason since 2017.