Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. seemingly hands Tua Tagovailoa starting spot with latest comments

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Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. seemingly hands Tua Tagovailoa starting spot with latest comments originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Atlanta Falcons entered last season with plenty of excitement, especially with Michael Penix Jr. expected to get a full season as the team’s starting quarterback. Atlanta has an exciting offensive core featuring Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson.

However, Penix’s injury history caught up with him last season. The young quarterback partially tore his ACL midway through the season, forcing him to undergo surgery.

“Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffered a partially torn left ACL and will have season-ending surgery, the team announced Wednesday. The procedure will be a full ACL construction, a league source told ESPN. Penix took a hit in the third quarter Sunday against the Carolina Panthers and injured his knee,” ESPN’s Marc Raimondi wrote.

Recently, Penix appeared on a podcast with former NFL quarterback Cam Newton, where he discussed the mental challenges he has faced while recovering from another knee injury.

“A lot of it is mental. Physically, I got a good ACL. The doctors did what they needed to do. I can go out there and do anything. But mentally, you hesitate, and it’s like do I trust it,” Penix said.

Those are not the comments the Falcons want to hear from someone who could potentially be their starting quarterback. In fact, Penix’s remarks may have given Tua Tagovailoa an even stronger case to win the starting job. Tagovailoa was recently named the starter for Atlanta’s preseason game on Friday.

“The Falcons will play the starters Friday against Denver. Tua Tagovailoa will start the game, but Kevin Stefanski said he is not naming him the starter for the season. Stefanski said the starters will play for about 10 plays/one series, but will vary based on player how much more beyond that is needed,” Falcons reporter Tori McElhaney wrote.

As of now, Tagovailoa appears to be in a better position to make an immediate impact than Penix. Following Penix’s comments, there is now more concern surrounding whether the third-year quarterback is mentally ready to return to the field and play at his highest level.

Penix’s remarks suggest that he could hesitate when running the ball or attempting to escape the pocket if he feels pressure on his surgically repaired knee. While his honesty is understandable, the comments could potentially hurt his chances of winning the starting job.

Penix would have been better off emphasizing his desire to return to the field and compete for the starting role. Now, with Tagovailoa getting the start in the preseason opener, Penix could have an uphill battle to win the job before Week 1.

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