The Atlanta Falcons benched their second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and replaced him with veteran Kirk Cousins.
Penix struggled throughout Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers before being replaced with 10:44 left in the game.
The Falcons were down 27-0 to their NFC South division rivals when Penix was replaced. Cousins also didn’t have success as the Falcons lost to the Panthers, 30-0.
Penix completed 18 of 36 passes for 172 yards with two interceptions, including his first career pick-six.
GettyCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 21: Michael Penix Jr. #9 of the Atlanta Falcons runs the ball during the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Falcons Signaled That Penix Was Starter to Stay
Cousins took over as the Falconsâ starting quarterback last season after signing a contract with $100 million guaranteed in the 2024 offseason. Atlanta then drafted Penix eighth overall.
Cousins guided the Falcons to a 6-3 start last season before a midyear collapse. He was benched in Week 16 after throwing nine interceptions and only one touchdown over a five-game span. Penix took over as starter for the final three games, playing well even as Atlanta went 1-2 and missed the playoffs.
Penix was coming off a victory on “Sunday Night Football” against the Minnesota Vikings last week. Through the first two weeks, Penix was 40-for-63 with one touchdown in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Many thought Cousins would be released or traded this offseason, but the Falcons made it clear they were content keeping him as a backup â an expensive one at that, with $27.5 million guaranteed this year.
It wasn’t immediately clear who would start next week when the Falcons host the Washington Commanders. That game was once thought as a marquee matchup between Jayden Daniels and Penix but Daniels has an injury and the starting quarterback may very well be Cousins vs Marcus Mariota.
GettyCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 21: Kirk Cousins #18 of the Atlanta Falcons throws the ball during the fourth quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Fans Let Their Frustration Be Known
As the score worsened, Falcons fans made their feelings clear online.
âPUT IN KIRK COUSINSâ¦..LETS SEE WHAT HE STILL HAS GOD DAMN IT. HOW DO WE KEEP DOING THIS AGAINST TERRIBLE TEAMS,â one fan tweeted.
“HOW DO WE KEEP DOING THIS AGAINST TERRIBLE TEAMS?”
Another fan declared, “Michael Penix Jr. is not ready for the big moment…Bench him.”
One fan argues that Cousins is a superior backup quarterback. âWhy is Michael Penix Jr. still in this ball game when Kirk Cousins is on your bench?â he said.
Itâs a sharp twist, given Penix was handed the job late last season when head coach Raheem Morris benched Cousins after a skid. That decision was meant to be forward-looking â giving the rookie valuable reps during a playoff push.
Will Kirk Cousins or Michael Penix Jr. Be the Starter?
Cousins is a four-time Pro Bowler who’s thrown for nearly 43,000 yards. Through just three weeks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem to be running away with the division, starting 3-0. So does Morris opt for short-term success or stick to a long-term plan?
Penix was a star in college. His career took off after he transferred from Indiana to Washington.
In his senior year, he was named a first-team All-American and won the Maxwell Award after leading the Huskies to an undefeated regular season, a conference championship, and appearance in the national championship.
Penix and Washington lost to J.J. McCarthy and Michigan in the national championship.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Falcons Turn to Kirk Cousins After Michael Penix Jr. Struggles Against Panthers appeared first on Heavy Sports.