Months before Matt Ryan was named the Atlanta Falcons' president of football, he discussed, on live television, his technique in developing young quarterbacks. Ironically, he's now entrusted to provide insight in a situation similar to the one he diagnosed in Week 4 of the 2025 season on The NFL Today.
"You have to be aggressive in starting young quarterbacks early, but you have to have patience to help them develop," Ryan said about New York Giants' starting quarterback Jaxson Dart the week of his NFL debut.
The Falcons are not in this exact situation, but sit in a similar position to the Giants. Michael Penix Jr didn't start immediately during his rookie campaign in 2024, but was thrust into action after a failed Kirk Cousins experimental season.
Penix's struggles in 2025 create uncertainty around the position in the long term, and there's currently no clear plan in place. Ryan's addition to the staff may provide the blueprint for Penix to thrive long term, but Falcons' fans won't like it.
Falcons fans will despise the patience Matt Ryan is urging on Michael Penix Jr.
Patience is the key to Ryan's formula, albeit an unpopular one. Patience means starting Penix again in 2026, once healthy, and letting him play the entirety of the season. Once Penix takes his next snap for the Falcons during his third NFL season, he'll be 26.
At that age, there's only so much Penix can improve upon. Of course, technique can always improve, but his talent has peaked, and it's marginal growth from there. This upcoming season feels make-or-break for the Falcons' much chastised quarterback, but fans have had enough.
During his second starting stint in the NFL, Penix produced a 3-6 record with just 10 total touchdowns before another season-ending injury. Atlanta lost four straight at the end of his starting streak and were eliminated from the playoffs a few short weeks later.
Penix flashed positive signs and always received high praise from ex-head coach Raheem Morris. Unfortunately this skill rarely translated into the box score or win column before his injury.
With Ryan making decisions in 2026, he will likely urge the general manager and head coach to stick with Penix for next season. After all, Penix has just started twelve games in the NFL. This will likely give Ryan more reason for patience.
The likelihood of fans enjoying this strategy is slim at best. Although the 2024 first-round pick is still young, his flashes of elite talent are few and far between, and his inaccuracy is infuriating. He's inefficient, doesn't produce big points, and hasn't been a winner in the NFL yet.
If Ryan brings this mindset to the front office, fans will be disgusted with the offense once again in 2026.