Michael Penix Jr. made his long-awaited return from an ACL injury on Thursday night, helping the Atlanta Falcons to a stunning 35-14 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
The quarterback had not played since tearing his left ACL in Week 11 last November, with the lengthy rehabilitation process finally coming to an end as he returned to lead Atlanta’s offense.
Falcons safety Jessie Bates III revealed just how difficult the wait had been for Penix, who became emotional before Atlanta’s final preseason game in August after accepting that he was not yet ready to return.
Penix was “dying to get back”, according to Bates.
“I know how much it means to him,” Bates said. “I know how much he means to the locker room.”
There was an early reminder of the rust that comes with such a long absence when Penix threw an interception on his first series.
He quickly settled, though, and by the second quarter he had found his rhythm.
The 2024 first-round pick finished 18-of-25 passing for 256 yards, one touchdown and one interception, giving Atlanta a major boost after a difficult opening to the season.
“Definitely after that interception, I started getting a rhythm, and everything started clicking,” Penix said.
Penix and London give Falcons’ offence a lift
Penix became increasingly comfortable as the game progressed and was particularly effective during the second and third quarters.
He completed 13 of 15 passes during that period, throwing his only touchdown of the night on a five-yard completion to tight end Austin Hooper with 59 seconds remaining in the first half.
He also went five-for-five on third downs during that spell, helping Atlanta keep drives alive and putting the Packers under sustained pressure.
Drake London once again proved to be Penix’s preferred target and enjoyed the best receiving performance of his career.
London made nine catches for a career-high 194 yards, providing Penix with a reliable outlet throughout the game.
Their connection was badly needed after Atlanta struggled through the opening two games of the campaign.
The Falcons had scored just 16 points across those matches, the lowest total in the NFL at that stage, while their quarterback situation had been thrown into chaos.
Tua Tagovailoa was initially expected to start the season opener after Penix had not recovered from his ACL injury, but an oblique injury suffered three days before the game forced him out.
Third-string quarterback Cooper Rush was then called into action despite dealing with back spasms of his own.
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