Falcons news: Michael Penix Jr.'s practice return doesn't guarantee start

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TheFalcons news: Michael Penix Jr.'s practiceAtlanta Falcons are currently gearing up for their second game of the season on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons are coming off a 20-13 Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in which their offense could not get off the ground with Cooper Rush at quarterback.

Out of the lineup for that game were quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., and although Penix Jr. has been fully cleared by medical personnel to play, head coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t sound convinced about his status for Week 2.

“#Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said he’s not ruling anyone out at quarterback. Cooper Rush and Mike Penix Jr. will practice. Tua will not practice today,” reported D. Orlando Ledbetter on X, formerly Twitter.

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“I’m not going to rule anybody out,” said Stefanski.

Penix Jr. told the team that he did not feel comfortable starting last week against the Steelers despite being medically cleared to play after working his way back from a torn ACL last season. While this move drew criticism from some in the fanbase, Falcons fans saw what happened when Kirk Cousins tried to rush back from his own injury two years ago, which resulted in Penix Jr. getting the starting job to begin with.

Atlanta has been in quarterback purgatory for several seasons now, as Rush became the sixth different quarterback in the last six years to start opening day at the position for the Falcons.

The Falcons will certainly hope that Penix Jr. is able to return sooner rather than later, even if it isn’t Sunday.

Related: How Falcons’ Za’Darius Smith will honor his late mother for homer opener in Week 2

Related: The Cooper Rush Week 2 tea leaves are here, and Falcons fans are depressed