The Atlanta Falcons will be severely depleted in Week 8 against the Miami Dolphins, as Jalon Walker, Divine Deablo, and Billy Bowman Jr. are among the big names that'll be inactive. But more importantly, the Dirty Birds have finally received clarity on whether Michael Penix Jr. will suit up this afternoon.
Penix suffered a bone bruise in his knee in Atlanta's 20-10 loss to the 49ers, and managed to log three consecutive limited practice sessions this week. But against the 1-6 Dolphins, Raheem Morris is choosing to be patient with the second-year quarterback, opting to prioritize his long-term health.
Despite saying earlier this week that he felt confident about the 25-year-old's Week 8 status, things quickly changed. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Saturday morning that Kirk Cousins was "highly likely" to start, and now we have confirmation that Penix will be inactive this afternoon.
Breaking: Kirk Cousins is officially starting Sunday in place of the injured Michael Penix Jr., sources tell @AdamSchefter.
— ESPN (@espn) October 26, 2025
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Michael Penix Jr. is inactive for Falcons' Week 8 matchup against Dolphins
The Falcons will be missing their franchise quarterback in Week 8 against Miami, but luckily they have arguably the most reliable backup quarterback in the NFL waiting in the wings. This isn't why Kirk Cousins signed in Atlanta to begin with, but he's finally getting his shot to make an impression.
In 14 starts last season, Cousins threw for 3,509 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions in his first season coming off of a torn Achilles. However, he had an incredibly strong camp, while affirmed Terry Fontenot's decision to keep him as insurance behind Penix.
Trade interest flurried throughout the offseason, but Fontenot still held on while affirming there is no QB controversy. Amid speculation about his future, the four-time Pro Bowler has remained one of the most popular trade candidates at the trade deadline, which could only grow after Week 8.
Cousins will now get a prime opportunity to prove he is still a worthy starter in this league—while proving to quarterback-needy teams he is worth trading for before Nov. 4. He has the weapons to do it in Atlanta, and we still saw those flashes last season, but Penix put his time as QB1 on a clock.
It's a good decision from Morris to remain precautionary with Penix, rather than risk further re-injury against a Dolphins team the Falcons should be able to beat regardless of who starts. Even better is that both Darnell Mooney and Jake Matthews are good to go against the Phins
The last thing the Dirty Birds need is for Morris to make a decision that can only further jeopardize Penix's standing as the QB of the future, and see the team lose another key starter after losing Divine Deablo against the Niners.