Until yesterday we hadn’t heard from Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. since he tore his ACL in Week 11 last season against the Carolina Panthers. For Penix it’s the third time in his career that he’s suffered a torn ACL.
While Penix’s injury history is obviously a major concern going forward, one positive side effect is that Penix is a seasoned pro when it comes to recovery. On that subject Penix told reporters on Tuesday that “I feel like you have a better understanding of your body… You have a better understanding of where you’re at in your rehab process and stuff like that but nothing about it is easy.”
Advertisement
Penix said that he expects to be 100% by the time training camp begins next month – the first open practice is scheduled for July 31st. He also talked about what comes next in his recovery process:
“For me, the next milestone is taking contact because right now everything is non-contact… And, you know, that’s tough obviously with quarterbacks, we don’t get touched in practice so my first contact. We can do simulation drills and stuff like that but obviously for all of the quarterbacks across the league, the first time you get hit is the first game of the season. So that would be the next step. Just making sure I’m confident in my knee and confident to being able to take contact and keep playing.”
With no 11-on-11 work until training camp for Penix, it doesn’t give him much time to prove that he’s a better option to start over Tua Tagovailoa.
Advertisement
At least at the outset of the regular season, all signs point to Tagovailoa being the starter Week 1.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. talks about what comes next rehabbing ACL
