FLOWERY BRANCH — When Michael Penix Jr. took the practice field Tuesday afternoon, most of his activities appeared standard for the first day of Falcons organized team activities — positional drills, team run-throughs and reps with the receivers.
But there was one glaring difference about the second-year quarterback: The Falcons are his team.
And Penix’s “quiet confidence” is evident.
“He’s just got that quiet confidence,” wide receiver Jamal Agnew said. “He’s not one of those loud people. He’s kind of laid back, but you can feel the — all the kids say ‘aura’ or whatever you call it these days — he’s got it.”
Penix never will be the loudest player on the field. That’s not his style of leadership. However, he’ll still joke around with his teammates, including ribbing them about their choice in music.
“We go back and forth about music,” said wide receiver Darnell Mooney, who is entering his second season with the Falcons. “He has a different music taste than I have, but that’s our little competition right now. He’s being more vocal with that than he was last year.”
Discussing topics outside of football is how Penix connects with his teammates, which, in his mind, is vital to leading them. He made a concerted effort to spend time around the facility and attend group outings, such as fishing and, most recently, golf.
As far as Penix’s golf game goes, he said, “Don’t ask.”
But offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was more than willing to give a scouting report.
“Mike is at the point where it seems like he is addicted,” Robinson said before the start of OTAs. “I’ve never been a part of a team, even as a player, where this many guys like to golf, but it’s a cool experience. It’s cool to see all those guys and how interested they are in other things outside of football.”
Penix joined the Falcons last season as a top 10 draft pick. He seized the starting role from Kirk Cousins, who coach Raheem Morris said was not at Tuesday’s voluntary practice, and threw for 775 yards in five games, which included three starts.
The young quarterback’s success quickly earned him the trust of his teammates — even veteran ones, such as offensive lineman Jake Matthews. The 12th year Falcon said Penix has proved he is one of the team’s leaders, a quality that was evident in even his first NFL start.
“He’s not the most talkative guy,” Matthews said. “But man, it’s funny, when he got that start against the Giants last year, when he got in that huddle it’s like, ‘OK, this guy knows what he’s doing. He knows how to get it done. He’s here to be a leader of this offense.’”
Now that he has his first few NFL games out of the way, Penix’s next step is to go through an entire season as a starting quarterback. And Morris said he possesses the qualities required to thrive in the role.
“He was at a very high level — shocked us all last year (with) where he was,” Morris said. “So I’m really fired up and really pleased where he could go to the next step and take the next steps.”
One of those next steps is finding a voice. Morris wants Penix to display the “control and arrogance” of players such as Matt Ryan and Matthew Stafford, who Morris spent time with — Ryan with the Falcons and Stafford with the Los Angeles Rams.
Morris said both created a confidence the team “couldn’t be beat.”
“When you take over that quarterback spot, there’s a certain humility about playing the position,” Morris said. “Then it becomes a certain confidence about playing the position and eventually turns into a little bit of a — almost an arrogance about playing the position where it becomes nonnegotiable. We’re not there yet, I don’t think we will be for a little bit, but I think he’s at the mode of where he’s starting to get the confidence to be able to figure out how to get to that moment.”
Penix said he conversed with Ryan during the offseason because he wanted to learn how to become a professional.
And who better to take guidance from than a former top 10 draft pick whose career ended in the Falcons’ Ring of Honor?
The two discussed Ryan’s day-to-day process, his transition from year one to year two under center and other “things that I needed to hear,” according to Penix.
“His willingness to be open with me,” Penix said of what he took from the conversation. “He didn’t have to give his time to me, to talk to me and pour game into me. Just him being open and being present in the conversation, it was definitely a blessing.”
Penix, whom Morris said has a “receiver vibe to him” with an unmatched “mental sharpness and intelligence,” will continue to lead the Falcons through their offseason workouts and then in training camp.
“The goal (is) always to win,” Penix said. “It don’t matter how we do it.”
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