Michael Penix Jr. had 'a very good conversation' with Falcons QB Kirk Cousins on draft night

The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft took a turn once Michael Penix Jr.‘s name was called by the Falcons on Thursday night.

Despite just signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract, Atlanta decided to invest in its future by selecting the highly-touted quarterback prospect out of Washington with the eighth overall pick. The move not only shocked the NFL world, but came as a “big surprise” to Cousins’ camp on draft night, per NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo.

When introduced in Atlanta on Friday, Penix informed reporters that he and Cousins had a productive conversation on draft night, but chose not to delve into any details.

“Right now, it’s going to remain confidential between him and me. The conversation was undoubtedly productive,” said Penix. “I’m extremely thrilled about collaborating with him, and he expressed similar enthusiasm about working with me.”

Penix burst onto the scene last year while leading the Washington Huskies to a 14-1 record and an appearance in the 2024 CFP National Championship Game. The left-handed quarterback conducted a high-powered offense that featured wideout Rome Odunze, who was taken by the Chicago Bears with the very next pick at No. 9, and he set the school’s single-season record for passing yards (4,641) while throwing 36 touchdowns as a senior. He collected the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top player in the process while also being a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

On Friday, Terry Fontenot, the general manager of the Falcons, reaffirmed that choosing Penix was indeed a progressive move for the franchise.

“We weren’t imposing anything,” said Fontenot. “It’s simply that we have immense faith in the player. We believe that he has the potential to be a crucial player for the franchise in the future. That’s the reason we made the decision at this point.”

Morris expressed that the rookie, Penix, will only benefit from learning under Cousins.

“The Falcons head coach stated on Friday, “He has an excellent role model to emulate in his game. He also has a brilliant person to follow in his process, and in all aspects. Kirk Cousins is incredible, from his entry into the league up to now. Penix is in a position where he can follow this lead and do the right things within our organization, understand the structure of the offense and position himself to be the best he can be on the field. All he needs to do is strive to be the best version of himself.”

At 35, Cousins is recovering from an Achilles tear that prematurely ended another successful season in Minnesota. Despite this, the Falcons were confident enough to offer the seasoned player a substantial contract that guaranteed $100 million. However, the unexpected choice of Penix could stir up unanticipated controversy in the quarterback room, regardless of whether or not Atlanta approves.

Penix, set to turn 24 in early May, isn’t planning to stir any controversy as he begins his NFL career. Instead, he’s happily accepting his position as a backup to Cousins.

“I’m here to do whatever I can to help this team win football games,” Penix said. “That’s the biggest thing for me. I love winning, and you know, I’m a team guy. That’s what I’m going to be in the locker room. Kirk (Cousins), he’s an amazing guy. I actually watched the ‘Quarterback’ series with him and seeing that he’s a man of faith, just like me. He’s all about his family, so I really enjoyed that, to kind of get a feel of what kind of guy he is.

It’s an immense privilege to be in the same room with him, work with him, learn from him, and support him as he progresses in his career.