Justin Simmons recalls exact moment when Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. won him over

Michael Penix Jr. is set to play his sophomore NFL season after an entertaining 2024 campaign with the Atlanta Falcons. The young quarterback had to wait until Week 16 to start for the Falcons after Kirk Cousins was benched by Raheem Morrison.

With three starts under his belt, Penix is set to make a bigger impact and try to lead his team to the postseason.

Justin Simmons, who also joined the Falcons in 2024, talked with Kay Adams on Tuesday's edition of her "Up & Adams" show and revealed when he realized that Michael Penix Jr. would be an important player for Atlanta.

Adams: “You mentioned Penix. Real deal. We saw it at the end of the season. When did you know? And what is the one thing about him quickly that you know he's the guy for that team?

Simmons: “Training camp. That was my third day of practice. Literally, the third day being there. He was running the second-team reps and going up against the second-team defense, and he had this no-look throw down the sideline. ... It was the craziest throw I think I've ever seen in person. And I was like, 'Oh, he has whatever he has.' So, I'm excited to see what he does.”

Michael Penix Jr.'s draft selection caught a lot of people off guard, as the Falcons had secured Kirk Cousins' services before selecting him with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft.

The Falcons (8-9) couldn't advance to the playoffs after a tumultuous season. Penix finished with 61 completions on 105 attempts for 775 yards, three passing touchdowns and three interceptions.

Michael Penix Jr. to be mentored by Matt Ryan in 2025 season

In his first season as a starter, Michael Penix Jr. will have a franchise great helping him develop. NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe revealed that Raheem Morris is planning to have Matt Ryan help Penix this season.

"We plan to get former quarterbacks in his ear working with him, including Matt Ryan to to get him through the process of what it’s like going through a whole offseason as a starter," Morris told Wolfe.

"I wanna know what his arm routine is, I want to know what he’s eating, where he’s traveling, how many days a week he’s working out, because we think this guy has so much promise, so much poise.”

The Falcons have strong competition in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the NFC South, but they're putting in big pieces to succeed next season.