Michael Penix Jr.'s girlfriend Olivia has 5-word message as Falcons QB recaps rookie season

Michael Penix Jr.'s girlfriend, Olivia Carter, shared a sweet message as the Falcons quarterback recapped his rookie NFL season. Penix Jr. was the eighth overall pick for the Atlanta Falcons in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The decision surprised fans, as the Falcons had previously signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract. However, Penix Jr. replaced Cousins in Week 16, starting against the New York Giants. In his debut game, he completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards.

On Wednesday, Penix Jr. posted several pictures on Instagram of him playing for the Falcons, including a snap of him hugging Carter on the sidelines.

"Year 1," he captioned the post.

Carter responded to his post in the comment section.

"Year one. I love you," she wrote.

Olivia Carter's comment (Image via Instagram/@themp9)

Penix Jr. had a promising rookie season. He recorded his first NFL touchdown in Week 17 against the Washington Commanders. Interestingly, the Falcons recently clarified their quarterback strategy for the upcoming season.

According to reports, general manager Terry Fontenot has decided to move forward with Michael Penix Jr. as the team's quarterback for 2025 while Kirk Cousins will serve as his backup. Josh Kendall, an NFL writer for The Athletic shared the news on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.

"Fontenot: 'We are very comfortable moving forward with (Kirk Cousins) as backup. Kirk is a great man and he’s been great support for Mike. We are very comfortable moving forward with him as the backup,'" he tweeted.

With a commendable rookie season behind him, fans are excited to see what the future holds for the quarterback.

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Michael Penix Jr. announces engagement to Olivia Carter

Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. and Olivia Carter have been together for a long time, and the couple got engaged last month. Carter, a former college soccer player, said “yes” when Penix Jr. proposed to her on Christmas Eve.

The proposal was beautifully set up with a backdrop of red roses, candles and large block letters spelling "Marry Me." On Dec. 28, the couple posted pictures on Instagram from the special day.

They also shared a video of the proposal, which showed Penix Jr. going down on one knee with a ring in his hand.

"I want you to know, I love you with all my heart," Penix Jr. says in the video. "I told you I'd love you forever. I promise you, I will."

The QB captioned the video:

"I will love you forever. I can’t wait to do life with you."

The couple has been open about their relationship, frequently sharing glimpses of their life on social media.