FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — When asked about the veteran he replaced as the Falcons' starting quarterback, Michael Penix Jr. didn’t hesitate to praise Kirk Cousins. There was no facade, just a response seemingly rooted in genuine appreciation.
"He’s definitely someone who I can ask questions to, and he’s always there," Penix said after Atlanta's joint practices with the Titans last week. "[He’s] quick to respond and give me his insight and what he’s seen in the past and how I can operate at a high level to go out there and be successful. So he’s been great not just for me, but for this team as well.
"He’s been a great leader."
If there’s awkwardness between Penix and Cousins, it’s not apparent in how they talk about each other. Cousins said during minicamp that the former first-round pick is poised to have a "great career" and that "he’s off to a great start." Last season, Penix acknowledged that Cousins "[could] do no wrong" in his eyes. The former Washington Huskies star found himself emulating the veteran in the huddle.
Despite losing the starting job late last season, Kirk Cousins (left) has continued to be supportive of Michael Penix Jr. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
All of this falls on the backdrop of Cousins’ frustration with his predicament.
Atlanta drafted Penix eighth overall last year, little more than a month after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract. On Netflix's "Quarterback" series, Cousins said he felt "misled" and added that he would have stayed in Minnesota had he known Atlanta planned to take a quarterback that high.
And after struggling down the stretch last season, Cousins was benched in favor of Penix in Week 16. Knowing that the franchise would be moving forward with their
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