The 0-2 Atlanta Falcons named Michael Penix Jr. their Week 3 starter against Green Bay after he missed the first two games following a third ACL tear and reconstructive surgery. Though medically cleared, he said he had yet to meet the team’s benchmarks for full-speed contact.
Atlanta had planned to use veteran Tua Tagovailoa as a backup and stopgap starter, but Tagovailoa had back spasms during camp and later injured an oblique in Week 1. Cooper Rush, signed on the first day of camp after Trevor Siemian was waived, started the first two games despite a back injury; he threw three interceptions and one touchdown in the losses before being benched for rookie Jack Strand in Week 2.
Green Bay had seven sacks through two weeks, tied for second in the NFL, and led the league in forcing negative-yardage plays. Atlanta right tackle Jawaan Taylor was expected to play after a rib injury, though his fitness was uncertain. Penix’s left-handed throwing also requires the offensive line to adjust after protecting right-handed quarterbacks; he had not played in a game since November 2025.
