A major reason as to why the Atlanta Falcons hired Kevin Stefanski was to finally set Michael Penix Jr. up for success, since that was a foreign concept under the previous regime. He has all the talent in the world and was surrounded by elite talent, but the gameplan was never catered to his strengths.
If you ignore the off-field stuff, the Falcons have a pretty stellar track record when it comes to starting left-handed signal-callers named Michael. The two-time Coach of the Year's offensive scheme is very play-action friendly, which has Michael Vick optimistic about the impact it'll have on Penix's growth.
While appearing on Good Morning Football, Vick confirmed that he believes the hire of Stefanski is the best thing the Dirty Birds could have done to prioritize Penix's development, especially since many have started to question how secure his standing is as Atlanta's long-term starter.
"I think it's really good for Michael Penix to get someone like Kevin Stefanski, an offensive mind, someone who's going to pour into him, someone who's gonna teach him how to play the quarterback position on a daily basis."Michael Vick.
Regardless of how you may feel about Vick personally, there's no denying he's one of the best players in franchise history and one of the most transcendent quarterbacks in NFL history, so his assesment should count for something, especially given his faith in Penix hasn't wavered despite the injuries.
Michael Vick sees the Falcons' decision to hire Kevin Stefanski as the best thing they could have done for Michael Penix Jr.'s development
In all honesty, Vick's assessment is dead on. The best thing you can do for a struggling young quarterback is surround him with a coaching staff best suited to anchor his growth, just like Josh McDaniels has done for Drake Maye in New England and Ben Johnson with Caleb Williams in Chicago.
Stefanski comes with a track record of offensive mastery, as the 43-year-old led the Browns to the playoffs twice despite dealing with consistent QB instability. But his commitment to the 2024 first-round pick's future doesn't end there, as the Dirty Birds are assembling an impressive offensive staff.
Following the hires of Tanner Engstrand and Alex Van Pelt to the staff, the Falcons have four coaches on their staff with play-calling experience to work with the 25-year-old. If that coaching staff doesn't highlight Stefanski's commitment to building this offense around Penix, I don't know what will.
The Washington product is a guy who can make all the throws asked of him. There was a reason he was the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2023. And both Vick's words and Stefanski's actions are proving what Falcons fans have been waiting for this new regime to see out of the strong-armed QB.