Mike Florio catches up with Falcons QB Michael Penix, Jr to talk about his relationship with Kirk Cousins, what he does to stay game-ready, and whether or not he watches the other the rookie QBs from his Draft class.
PFT Live with Mike Florio
PFT 1-on-1: Michael Penix, Jr.
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Progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates, national average, 12 months savings of $744 by new customer surveyed who saved with Progressive between June 2022 and May 2023. Potential savings will vary. Discounts not available in all states and situations. Joining us now. 8th overall big in the 2024 NFL draft former Washington Husky quarterback now quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. He's Michael Pennix Jr. Michael great to see you again. How's everything? I'm good. Great to see you as well. How are you doing? I'm doing great. I'm doing great. Season is rolling along. We're two thirds of the way through. And the my clause, my cleats, my, my cause, my cleats. Getting ahead of myself with Christmas. That's going to cause my cleats. Coming up for the NFL. You got some stuff going on there. Let's just get right into that. Tell us what you have going on. Tell us what charity you're supporting as that program approaches. Yeah. So I collaborated with Sharpie, you know, with the my cause, my cleats. And the charitable, the charity I'm supporting is Boys and Girls Club of America. I actually had a 17 year old, a 17 year old member of the Boys and Girls Club who actually designed a cleat. My name is Nicole. And she actually used Sharpie pens and Sharpie like creative markers and stuff, you know, to design the cleat. And it's been great. You know, my, my partnership with Sharpie has been amazing. And she, she actually put pictures of me and my brothers on the cleat. And she focused it around community because that was big for her. And, you know, and she threw it and threw in my brothers names and stuff like that as well. To tie it into myself. So it was great. Those are really, really well done, really well done. They look great. And what we'll look forward to seeing images of you in those cleats when those that weekend happens coming up later this season. All right. Now, there's so much I could ask because we haven't spoken since you were drafted. And everybody knows the story. I'm just curious as somebody who likes to control everything I can about my own life. And you can imagine that professional athletes are the same way. You want to control everything, but there are certain things you can't control. Obviously where you're drafted. Obviously where you are on the depth chart behind a hundred million dollar guaranteed quarterback that they just brought in. How do you reconcile the natural desire to be in charge of your life in every possible aspect with there's certain things I can't control and I just have to accept it. Yeah, me, I put it in God's hand, I'm a true believer and I believe that I was put in this position for a reason. And whatever that reason is, I'm going to make sure I take full advantage of each and every opportunity I do get out there on the field. Not just game days, but in practice as well. Just opportunities to learn, to grow. And obviously, just see how Kirk operates at a high level. In year 13, the way he's doing it right now, it's amazing to see. For me, I just continue to try to find out how I can be where he is one day and going in my 13th year and more. So I continue to just learn and grow each and every day. And Michael, I apologize. I'm sure you've been asked this before and I've probably seen it, but I can't remember. But the Falcons were so secretive about their interest in you. How much did you know that that call would possibly, if not likely be coming when they were on the clock at number eight? Yeah. So I knew how interested they were in me. They told me through the drive process. At the time, I didn't know. Everything is up in the air. On that day, you get surprised each and every year. For me, I wasn't surprised at where I got picked. You know, but obviously, you know, like you said, you know, you just never know, you know, you know, possibly thinking a different team, you know, and then another team comes up, you know, but at the same time, you know, I feel like, you know, I was a top 10, 10 guy. And, you know, to be in the top 10 is actually, it was a blessing, you know, you know, not just for me, but for my family as well. And, you know, it's just a lot of work that was put into to be where I'm at today. And I'll continue to work. You mentioned Kirk cousins and you put yourself in his shoes. He just arrives, signs the contract. A few weeks later, here comes the guy who's eventually going to replace him. How has he been in this relationship where your teammates, but at the same time, everybody wants to be the guy on the field. I mean, it's a business, you know, and Kirk's been in it for 12 going on 13 or on 13 now. You know, I feel like he understands it's a business. You know, for me, I'm learning that it's a business. You know, you're seeing, you know, how things going, you know, got guys coming in one day and then gone the next day, you know, and, but for Kirk, you know, he never looked at it as, you know, I wouldn't, I wouldn't even like want to say a threat, but he didn't look at it like that. You know, he looked at his, you know, his just opportunity to help his team get better and, you know, and Kirk, he goes about his business, you know, each and every day as a professional. And, you know, you know, he never, he never showed any bad blood towards me. You know, he's always there to help me if I ask questions. You know, we ask each other questions and give each other advice, you know, each and every day. So it's a blessing and I'm glad to be able to, to be able to learn from him and, you know, grow each and every day and just see how he operated at a high level. We'll often see young quarterbacks come in, Michael, and they'll be third on the depth chart so they can basically kind of learn at their own pace, but you're the, you're the number two. So you got to be ready every week, any given moment. You're going to be potentially in the game. How has that helped you really to grow and learn and develop, knowing that you have to be ready every single time the Falcons take the field because there's a chance you might be out there playing in the game? Yeah, man, I feel like it's not, it's in you, you know, and I feel like that's in me. You know, that's just what I am, who I am each and every day. You know, it's not, not just because, you know, my time could be any day, but, you know, it's just because that's how I've always been, you know, each and every day. Even I'm a starter, back up, I'm always going to be ready and prepare, you know, because whenever that moment comes, you know, you know, I have to be ready. You know, you know, it's, it's what's expected. You know, nobody's going to look at it like I'm a freshman and I'm not a freshman, but a rookie and, you know, and, you know, they don't, they don't care about that. You know, product, you know, this, this whole lead is about, you know, producing, you know, and for me, you know, whenever my time come, I have to produce. And, you know, that's what's expected. And that's what I expect out of myself, each and every time I touch the field as well. So it's not just, you know, the other people's expectations, but, you know, it's expectation of having myself, you know, each and every day and I drive that I have, you know, to be determined to go out there and be ready to play and, you know, make those plays whenever my numbers cause. So there were six quarterbacks and all taken in the top 12 this year, four of them are playing and getting the live reps in game experience. Are you doing anything like virtual reality or any other way to simulate getting actual experience, processing, making decisions, delivering the football, et cetera? It's just practice. It's just practice. You got to, you got to come in and practice like it's a game each and every day. You know, that's, that's the, that's the only live reps you really get. You know, obviously we don't get hit and practice, but, you know, that's just close a lot of you can get. So, you know, I got to practice already each and every day. So. You've been doing scout team stuff. Or are you doing just number two offense game plan, getting ready for the next opponent? I mean, that's the difference with the NFL, you know, in college, you don't really get ones and twos reps. You know, it's, it's all ones and, you know, I, I probably run on a, on a, on a one hand, I could count how many plays I run of our offense each and every day. You know, but, um, you know, so I got to take it on, on, on myself, you know, to make sure I'm ready and get those mental reps, you know, and, and that's, that's the biggest thing. You know, it's just mental reps, but other than that, it's all scout team for me. Um, give me something you've learned so far this year about the NFL that surprised you that you didn't expect. Um, I want to say it surprised me, but, you know, just the time and, you know, I feel like you just got so much time on your hands and, you know, but you can't look at it as, you know, it's free time. You know, you still got to find time, find work. You know, you got to, um, either if it's getting a massage, like getting masseuse or something or, you know, finding a doctor to work on your body or, you know, just extra reps, you know, in the, in the film room, you know, on the field after practice, you know, different things like that. You got to, you got to make sure you take advantage of your time. What have you learned about yourself, specifically your own game and area where you, you think maybe, you know, this is where I'm going to need to improve when the time comes for me to go out and actually be the guy? Um, it's, it's tough, you know, because it is different things that go into that question, you know, but I feel like, you know, for me, it's just, you know, just watching the reps and, you know, it just makes sure I'm right there next to Kurt, you know, because I don't, I don't get reps with, uh, Daniel Mooney with Drake London, Ray Ray McClell. I don't get reps with any of those guys through our practice, you know, but whenever game comes, if, if my number is called, I have to be ready. You know, I have to, you know, adjust to their timing, you know, right down the fly, you know, but so for me, it's like whenever Kirk gets going with, uh, Mooney or Drake or Ray Ray on the side and, and they're running, uh, routes, you know, outside of just, um, practice, you know, it's just after practice stuff. And I got to be right there to see how they run the, those routes so that whenever I'm in the game, you know, I know how they're going to run it, you know, and, um, obviously the stuff will come once, you know, we, we started getting that rhythm, um, whenever I get that chance to play. So you just had your bi-week, a little in season break. Every team gets one. What'd you do to get away from football for a little while? Oh, yeah. I mean, I took my girlfriend out, um, we went to Orlando, um, what's the universal studios got on rollercoaster? That's good. Hey, universal is part of the NBC company. So that's good. It's better to say that than Disney. Don't say Disney. Don't say it's universal. Um, do you watch, there you go. Do you watch any of the other rookie quarterbacks, the guys who were playing because I think if I was in your shoes, part of me would be like, I want to see how these guys are doing, but I also don't want to get frustrated because I see them playing and it's like, man, I wish I was playing. No, I mean, wait, obviously we play on the same days, you know, unless they're playing on a, on a Monday or, you know, um, or Thursday outside of that, you know, usually we, we're in the game and, you know, throughout, throughout the week, stuff like that, I'm, I'm focusing on our game plan, but whenever they are on the TV and I do have time and I do watch them. And, um, you know, I watch everybody, you know, I watch the whole league, you know, anytime I get the chance, so. On the sideline during the games, right, it's the number two quarterback. It's a different experience. If you're not playing, just give us an idea of what your day is like. As you're there, ready to go at any given moment, surely locked in dialed in just what's, what's that for Michael Pennix Jr. on the sideline for the Atlanta Falcons during games? Yeah, I'm just a lot of mental reps, you know, it's just, I find a spot where I can see the whole field and, um, you know, just making protection checks that, you know, in my head that I feel like I would make, you know, if I was, uh, incorrect shoes, you know, going through my reads, you know, looking at the guys, you know, based on my reads and stuff like that in my head saying where I would go with the ball and, you know, different things like that. You know, obviously, it's hard to simulate, you know, the rush, you know, I could sit there and be like, oh, he was open, but, you know, you can't really simulate the rush, you know, and stuff like that, you know, but, um, you know, as far as mental reps, you know, it's just doing as the best I can to take as many as I can, you know, and make sure I don't miss a play, you know, I'm hearing the plays and the headsets and repeating them, you know, to myself, or to, I got probably Casey Washington sitting next to me, you know, another player, Chris Blair, you know, somebody standing right next to me, repeating a place to them and, you know, so I can get those reps as well. And I hadn't thought of it this way before, Michael, but it's not just the mental rep. You're getting the visual. You're watching and you're processing while you're watching Kirk run the offense. Basically, here's what I would do. Here's what I need to do when I'm in this spot. Here's the protection. The routes act actively kind of projecting you're out there on the field. This is what I do. Correct. Yeah. Each other plane. Well, that's good, too, because again, you got to be ready to go at any given time. You never know when it's going to happen. That's part of the national football league. All right, Michael. Hey, I appreciate some of your time. Congratulations on your success so far. All the best with the my cause, my cleats campaign, and we will continue to watch and wait for Michael Pentec's Jr. 8th overall, picking the draft out there on the field at some point for the Atlanta Falcons. Great. The holidays are here at the Home Depot, so let's get to decorating. Find your perfect tree in our huge assortment of shapes, sizes, and styles. Make the easy to assemble Jackson Noble Fur with pre-lit branches perfect for styling with all your favorite ornaments or the Flock Starry Light Frasier Fur with over 1900 pre-lit memory wire branches that keep their shape so it's ready right out of the box. Find the perfect tree now at the Home Depot. Even with prostate cancer, he's still our everyday hero. He's an airport kicker up. Hi, dad. Hostosauce Jar Opener, thanks, and Wi-Fi Resetter. Right now. And Erlida Appolutamide helps keep him going. Erlida treats prostate cancer that is spread to other parts of the body and responds to testosterone lowering treatment. Erlida may cause serious side effects including heart or lung disease, stroke or severe skin reactions which can lead to death, falls, fractures, and seizure. Call your doctor right away and stop Erlida if you have chest pain, shortness of breath, numbness, weakness, severe rash, peeling, sores, and seizure. Avoid settings where loss of consciousness may cause serious harm. Erlida can cause harm to or loss of an unborn baby. Use birth control during and for three months after Erlida. Common side effects were joint pain, rash, feeling very tired, high blood pressure, hot flash, diarrhea, and reduced appetite or weight. Keep your everyday hero going. Ask his doctor if Erlida is right for him. Or tap this ad to visit Erlida.com. CP452700V1. [BLANK_AUDIO]