Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is scheduled for an MRI on his ribs on Monday to learn how much time, if any, he will miss, Adam Schefter reported, after the injury kept him on the bench for overtime of Sunday night’s 30-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
The result matters for a team that has already seen what life without him looks like. The Falcons are 2-3, and their only two wins came after Penix returned to the lineup in Week 3.
Falcons QB Michael Penix is expected to undergo an MRI today on his ribs to determine how much, if any time, he would miss. https://t.co/RpZorR4Wxu
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 12, 2026
How he got hurt
Penix took the hit with 27 seconds left in regulation and the score tied at 23, when linebacker Tavius Robinson sacked him. He was slow to get up and walked off on his own, Tua Tagovailoa took one snap in his place, and Penix came back in before Atlanta punted the ball away.
Baltimore had the ball first in overtime and held it for a long opening drive, and the soreness grew while Penix waited on the sideline. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said his quarterback could not get comfortable on the bench. Tyler Huntley finished that possession with a 1-yard sneak at 2:57 of the extra period, and Tagovailoa’s interception to Kyle Hamilton on Atlanta’s answering series ended the game. Penix said afterward that he probably would have gone back in had the Falcons received the ball first. Our Ravens-Falcons recap has the full account of the game.
“It’s frustrating, but I think the biggest thing is just I want to be out there,” Penix said after the game.
He does not think the injury is a long-term problem and said he expects to be available next week, though the club has not issued a diagnosis. Running back Bijan Robinson said he hoped it would turn out to be no more than a bruise.
Why Penix matters to Atlanta
Before he was hurt, Penix completed 19 of 32 passes for 240 yards with a 5-yard touchdown to Kyle Pitts Sr. and no interceptions, and he was sacked three times. It was his third start since returning from surgery on his left ACL, the third ACL operation of his career after he tore the right one twice in college.
The difference with him on the field has been stark. Tagovailoa missed the first two weeks with an oblique injury, and Cooper Rush led the Falcons to 16 points across those two losses. Atlanta then scored 80 points in Penix’s first two starts back. Tagovailoa is healthy now and is next in line if Penix cannot go. He completed two of three passes for 34 yards on Sunday, with the one interception.
Atlanta also lost cornerback C.J. Henderson to a groin injury during the game. Updated designations are on our NFL injury report.
What comes next
The Falcons host the Chicago Bears on Sunday, October 18, at 1:00 p.m. EDT, and their first practice report on Wednesday will show how much Penix can do. Baltimore, now 4-1, visits the Cleveland Browns at the same time.
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