Former Washington Huskies Quarterback Continues Amazing Season

One of the best quarterbacks in the recent history of the Washington Huskies football team recently handed one of the best teams in the NFL their first loss of the season.

Michael Penix Jr., the current starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, led his squad to a 29-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Penix went 25-for-34 for 213 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. It was the second-straight game with at least three passing touchdowns and the third win for Penix in four completed games started and finished this season. He missed the game-deciding drive in the Falcons' 30-23 overtime loss against the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 11.

In five starts, Penix has guided Atlanta to a 3-2 record. The team is 3-4 and in second place in the NFC South. All three of the team's wins have been with the signal-caller under center.

The former Husky signal-caller has completed 66.7% of his passes for 1,157 yards this season for nine touchdowns and one interception.

Penix's stellar season has come after a disappointing end to last year. He suffered a partially torn left ACL that ended his 2025-26 campaign after nine games played and started.

In the offseason, the team signed Tua Tagovailoa to compete with Penix for the starting job. The former was named the starter to begin the season but suffered an oblique injury. Penix regained the starting job after the first two weeks of the season.

Penix's career with the Falcons began after he was selected eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft following an elite pair of seasons with Washington.

The 26-year-old quarterback transferred to the Huskies ahead of the 2022-23 season after four seasons with the Indiana Hoosiers that were plagued with injuries.

In his pair of years with Washington, Penix was one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He was a back-to-back second-team All-Pac-12 honoree, was the Associated Press Comeback Player of The Year in '22-23, was a first-team All-American in 2023-24 and led the NCAA in passing yards the same year he earned his All-American honor.

Across those two seasons, Penix completed 65.4% of his passes for 9,544 yards, 67 touchdowns and 19 interceptions across 28 games (all starts). He led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff national championship game in 2024, but ultimately fell to the Michigan Wolverines 34-13.