The 2024 NFL Draft was ticking along as expected.
Then chaos broke out when the Atlanta Falcons shocked the NFL world by selecting Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
The stunning decision comes just weeks after signing former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal worth $180 million in free agency.
The selection came out of nowhere, with most draft experts projecting the Falcons would select a defensive player.
GM Terry Fontenot has some explaining to do, and it seems he’s already started.
Viral footage shows Fontenot talking to team owner Arthur Blank and explaining his rationale behind the Penix Jr. selection.
“bros fighting for his life,” said one fan.
“Yeah there’s no explaining that one,” added another.
Penix Jr. spent four seasons at Indiana before a two-year run with Washington propelled the Huskies to the College Football Playoff championship against Michigan.
Penix totaled 13,741 passing yards and 96 touchdowns in colelge while playing in 49 games.
Last season, he was one of the best QBs in the sport and guided Washington to a 14-1 record.
However, he dealt with ACL and shoulder injuries early in college.
Then he flourished at Washington, winning the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top player and being named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, while leading the top division with 4,903 passing yards.
“If you told me that in the rookie season Michael Penix would be as good as anybody in this draft class, just off pure ability and his ability to throw the football, I wouldn’t be shocked by that because he can really, really deliver the ball,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah exclusively told talkSPORT.
Penix will presumably sit behind Cousins for the next couple of years, setting himself up as an eventual successor.
News Summary:
- Awkward footage shows Falcons GM Terry Fontenot explaining why they selected Michael Penix Jr. to owner Arthur Blank
- Check all news and articles from the latest Football updates.