Michael Penix Jr. is now officially the man in Atlanta. Kirk Cousins is the backup, and entering his second season, Penix is the starting quarterback for the Falcons. There's a lot of reason to believe in Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in 2024.

Penix took over as Atlanta's starting quarterback for the final three games of the 2024 season, going 1-2 down the stretch with both losses coming in overtime. He made a strong first impression, guiding the Falcons to a 34-7 rout of the New York Giants in his debut.

The Atlanta Falcons are less than a week away from kicking off training camp for the 2025 NFL season. After spending last year as the backup to Kirk Cousins, Michael Penix Jr. enters the season as the team's starting quarterback. The former first-round pick appeared in five games (three starts) as a rookie.