ClutchPoints
Many eyebrows were raised when the Atlanta Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. as the eighth overall pick in last year’s draft. Experts deemed him a second-round prospect, but the Falcons rolled the dice and took a chance on the young quarterback.
Penix only played five games last season as the backup of Kirk Cousins. While he has seen more opportunities in his second season after taking over the starting spot, Penix has yet to fully deliver. The Falcons lost their fourth straight game on Sunday after bowing to the Indianapolis Colts, 31-25. They fell to 3-5.
Sports commentator Colin Cowherd discussed the young signal-callers in the NFL and who among them deserves to be given a lucrative extension. For Cowherd, the Falcons should think twice about paying the 25-year-old Penix.
“Hurt in college, looks really, really disappointing, so far,” said Cowherd on his show.
If you were a GM, which young QBs would you sign to big money extensions?@colincowherd breaks it down pic.twitter.com/5ttBnuuiAI
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) November 12, 2025
Penix was hobbled by knee injuries, including a torn ACL, in his four years at Indiana before transferring to Washington. In his senior year, he led the Huskies to a 13-0 record and a trip to the national championship game, where they lost to Michigan.
Cowherd picked New England Patriots’ Drake Maye—calling him the “easy” choice—Houston Texans’ CJ Stroud and Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams as the three young quarterbacks he would give a big-money extension to.
This season, Penix has registered a 58.8% completion rate, throwing for 1,807 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Clearly, the learning curve is high for Penix, who has only seen 11 starts. But he needs to pick it up soon, particularly his accuracy, if he wants to get the bag from the Falcons when his rookie contract expires.
The post Colin Cowherd wouldn’t extend ‘really disappointing’ Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. appeared first on ClutchPoints.
