Falcons split QB1 snaps Monday as Michael Penix Jr. returns to 11-on-11

FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons will split snaps between quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa during team periods Monday, coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters in a news conference.

Stefanski said it’s still to be determined whether Penix, who was cleared last Thursday to participate in 11-on-11 sessions and will do so Monday for the first time since suffering a torn ACL last November, will play in Friday’s preseason finale against the Miami Dolphins.

“I want to get through today,” Stefanski said. “Obviously, it’s his first time back out there. Excited for him, obviously, to do 11-on-11. But we’ll work through that.”

Less than three weeks away from the regular season opener, the Falcons are one of two teams with an ongoing quarterback battle, joining the Las Vegas Raiders. Stefanski declined to say whether Penix, given the timeline of his recovery, can be the team’s Week 1 starter.

“I can’t speculate on those type of things,” Stefanski said. “I want to really stay today with Mike and see how he does in practice.”

Penix has participated in 11-on-11 walk-throughs, but in live periods, he’s done only 7-on-7 this offseason. Through 15 training camp practices, he’s 69-for-108 passing, including 8-of-18 on passes greater than 20 yards.

Tagovailoa, meanwhile, is 73-for-118 passing in training camp, and he went 3-for-5 passing in the Falcons’ preseason opener against the Broncos.

Stefanski said the Falcons tried to be “very intentional” with managing snaps, and he credited offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt for structuring reps evenly enough to give both Tagovailoa and Penix the chance to show their worth.

Philosophically, Stefanski believes playing live football is the best way to prepare for the season. Penix hasn’t commanded a full 11-man huddle nor faced an active pass rush since his injury, both of which mark important boxes for the 26-year-old to check this week.

So, while the Falcons are pleased with Penix’s work in 7-on-7s, they’re eager to see him in a more representative setting.

“We are evaluating everything and evaluating every drill, but 11-on-11 is the closest approximation to football,” Stefanski said. “Those preseason games are games and they’re keeping score and those type of things. So, certainly, 11-on-11 is the closest thing to what we do in the fall.

“So, this is a big step for Mike and he’s excited for it.”

Penix said during training camp he felt he could physically do everything except take a hit. That’s one hurdle he still has to clear, and may come Friday if he plays against the Dolphins.

But a bigger barrier — one Penix has been vulnerable in addressing — rests on the mental side. He knows his knee is strong and healthy. That’s what the doctors told him, after all. But does he really trust them? Does he trust his knee?

After three ACL tears, Penix is certainly justified in his concerns.

Stefanski said football players must play free and trust the work they’ve done before stepping onto the field, whether that be rehab or individual drills. He’s confident Penix’s mind is trending favorably as the former first-round pick returns to full participation.

“I think Mike takes great comfort in knowing he’s done everything in his power to get his body ready,” Stefanski said. “And now we’ll just continue along in the process. Again, this is Day 1 of 11-on-11 for him. So, first time being out there in the team drill.

“We’ll get through today. We’ll check in, see how he’s feeling and then have a plan for tomorrow.”

Stefanski declined to say whether the Falcons’ quarterback battle begins in earnest Monday. There’s always competition in the NFL, he said.

But the Falcons have been transparent this summer about Penix’s place in the battle. Van Pelt said he feels the team has seen enough from Penix to properly evaluate him in comparison to Tagovailoa, but the scale certainly isn’t weighted the same considering the differences in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11.

Now, there are no differences. The Falcons, beginning Monday, will see Penix and Tagovailoa compete head-to-head in the same drills and same setting.