Marc RaimondiOct 31, 2025, 03:16 PM ET
CloseMarc Raimondi’s first year covering the Falcons was 2024, but it wasn’t his first year at ESPN. He joined the company in 2019 and was a top combat sports reporter. He also covered professional wrestling and wrote the book “Say Hello to the Bad Guys: How Pro Wrestling’s New World Order Changed America,” which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2025. Raimondi also worked for the New York Post and Newsday, beginning in 2009, covering high school and college sports, plus the NFL, NFL, MLB and NHL.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. carries no injury designation for Week 9 and will start Sunday against the New England Patriots.
Penix has been dealing with a bone bruise on his left knee since the Falcons’ Week 7 game against the San Francisco 49ers. The second-year quarterback got rolled up on late in that game’s fourth quarter and came up limping. He didn’t come out of the game but missed significant first-team reps in practice last week, as well as the team’s game against the Miami Dolphins.
Kirk Cousins started in Penix’s place against the Dolphins, a disappointing 34-10 loss at home. Cousins was 26-of-38 for 202 yards without a touchdown or interception against Miami.
Penix was limited in practice this week until Friday, when he was a full participant. Penix has been the Falcons’ starter since Week 16 of last season when he took over for a struggling Cousins.
This season, Penix has completed 61% of his passes for 1,409 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions. The Falcons are 3-4 heading into the matchup with the Patriots in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Wide receivers Drake London (hip) and Darnell Mooney (hamstring) both carry no injury designation heading into the weekend. London missed the Dolphins game, and Mooney has missed two games with shoulder and hamstring injuries thus far.
The Falcons will have defensive starters out for Sunday, though: defensive lineman Zach Harrison (knee) and nickel corner Billy Bowman Jr. (hamstring).