Former Washington Huskies Quarterback Continues Strong Start to Season

The Washington Huskies football team saw many players go the professional route after making the College Football Playoff national championship game in 2024.

Several of those players, including wide receiver Rome Odunze, have been having stellar performances this season with their respective teams.

Another former Husky player, Michael Penix Jr., has also played well the last two weeks with the Atlanta Falcons.

In Monday's game between the Falcons and New Orleans Saints, Penix went 15-for-20 for 223 yards and a touchdown and helped lead his current team to a 45-24 win.

This was the second-straight week with at least 220 passing yards and a touchdown for Penix, and a win for Atlanta.

Penix completed 18-for-25 passes for 256 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the Falcons' 35-14 win against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 24.

Penix's stellar two weeks comes after a year filled with setbacks.

Penix was selected eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft and sat the majority of his rookie season behind Kirk Cousins. He was limited to nine games during his second season. He completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions.

This offseason, the Falcons signed Tua Tagovailoa to a one-year contract and named him the starting quarterback to begin a season, but minor injuries to him and Penix led to Cooper Rush starting to begin the year for Atlanta. Penix took over the starting job in Week 3 and Tagovailoa served as his backup this week.

Since going to the NFL, Penix has completed 60.3% of his passes for 3,013 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 15 games (13 starts).

Penix transferred to UW from the Indiana Hoosiers and played two seasons from 2022-24, where he helped lead Washington to the CFP title game in '24.

In his two years in the Pacific Northwest, Penix threw for 9,544 yards, 67 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in 28 games. He ran for another seven touchdowns in those two seasons.

In '22, Penix was named the Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year and was named second-team All-Pac-12.

In '23, Penix was a first-team All-American, earned his second-straight second-team All-Pac-12 selection and led the NCAA in passing yards.

Penix and the Falcons will next be in action for a second-straight primetime game against the Baltimore Ravens at 5:20 p.m. PT on Oct. 11 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.