Michael Penix reveals hilarious Costco-related story on learning about his QB promotion

Michael Penix Jr. was in an interesting place when he learned he was going to be the new starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. While speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Penix said he was about to get a hot dog from Costco when he received the news. He did not get the hot dog because he wasn’t hungry anymore.

Penix will take over for Kirk Cousins who threw one touchdown and nine interceptions in the last five games. The Falcons went 1-4 during that span and lost the NFC South lead to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who have won the last four games.

“Kirk is great. He’s a vet,” Penix said, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN. “He’s done a lot of great things in this league. Penix was also asked about what he’s learned from Cousins this season. “The way he processes, the way he speaks to the team,” he said. “The command he has to the offense. … The things he says in the huddle.”

Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins joined the Falcons during the offseason. The Falcons selected Penix at No. 8 overall in the draft after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract. Cousins was expected to start the entire year, but his inconsistent play over the past five weeks forced the Falcons to start Penix as they try to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

“The young man can execute everything that we want to do,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said on Wednesday afternoon, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He has a live arm. He’s able to do all the things we are going to ask him to do. He’s got great accuracy. Got great touch. It will look very similar to what you know. We just have to go out there and execute.”

When asked about Cousins, Morris said, “Kirk will be our No. 2. Talked with him last night, obviously wasn’t the best time to talk about it, but he definitely expressed to me how he was going to be the best No. 2 quarterback in the National Football League.”