Raheem Morris describes how Michael Penix Jr. learns in practice

Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris has been impressed with the work rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has put in during the offseason workouts. While speaking to reporters last week, Morris talked about how Penix learns in practice.

“After practice when he grabs his phone, he says the play to his phone, he listens to his voice recorder, he goes through the motions, he dictates the term on who’s motioning, who’s doing what, and then runs two sprints and he does it again at the other end,” Morris said. “I just think that’s development, that’s growth and that’s this young man just being hungry and he wants to know. I love that about him. That was some of the stuff that really attracted us to him.

While the Falcons love what Penix brings to the table, don’t expect him to be the starting quarterback anytime soon. Before drafting Penix, the Falcons signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins to a four-year $180 million contract and has been named the starter.

“I feel like at this level – in the NFL – everybody is in the spotlight,” Penix said earlier this month, per the Falcons’ official website. “You got to prove yourself each and every day. That’s the beauty of it. That’s the beauty of this game. And that’s why it’s so rare for guys to make it. Like it’s the 1%. So, you want in the spotlight.

“For me, I’m just going to be myself each and every day. Not try to be anybody else. Just go out there and put in the work I’ve always done. The results will show.”

Kirk Cousins is not worried about the addition of Michael Penix Jr.

The addition of Penix was shocking for most, which led to a lot of criticism because the Falcons signed Cousins a month earlier. When Cousins appeared on Bussin’ With The Boys this month, he was asked about his reaction to the Falcons picking Penix at No. 8 overall in April.

“I think you’re reminded again that there are things you control and there’s a lot of things you don’t control,” Cousins said. “And so let’s deal in reality and recognize that fact and then be a steward and not an owner. So I just believe that I gotta steward what comes my way and control what I control, which is what a steward does.”

“But a steward doesn’t worry about that which they can’t control, an owner does, Cousins added. “An owner would be like oh my goodness. So I just got to steward this and just do kind of what I’ve always done as a player and let the chips fall where they may.”