Marc Raimondi’s first year covering the Falcons was 2024, but it wasn’t his first year at ESPN. He joined the company in 2019 and was a top combat sports reporter. He also covered professional wrestling and wrote the book “Say Hello to the Bad Guys: How Pro Wrestling’s New World Order Changed America,” which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2025. Raimondi also worked for the New York Post and Newsday, beginning in 2009, covering high school and college sports, plus the NFL, NFL, MLB and NHL.
Michael Penix Jr., nearly three months into rehab after ACL surgery, wrote a post Wednesday on Instagram addressing how he has battled the odds and those who have doubted him.
The Atlanta Falcons quarterback wrote that he will never fold in the face of pressure, questioned those who have criticized him and vowed to continue to work hard despite outside influences. Penix’s posting came a day after Falcons president of football Matt Ryan was asked if Penix would be the team’s starter when he returns back from injury and deflected the question.
“Some people might think I’m crazy or say they would’ve quit a long time ago, but that will never be me, that ain’t how I was raised,” Penix wrote. “I’m forever going to stand 10 toes and show why my God is Almighty and will never put me in a situation that I can’t get through. Wherever you at right now in my story, STAY THERE! I never needed motivation or a pat on the back! All I ever needed was an opportunity and as long as I got breath I got that! The turtle race continues.”
Penix tore his left ACL in Week 11 last November and had reconstructive surgery a few weeks later. He is expected to be out at least nine months. Penix said in several interviews last month that he believes he will be back for Week 1.
This was Penix’s third ACL surgery. He tore his right ACL twice in college.
“I come from the mud literally,” Penix wrote. “[I didn’t] get this far by mistake, I never had no handouts, my road to success was never easy and I’m still just scratching the surface. All the pain, uncertainties, not knowing what will come next, never stop me from pursuing my dreams.”
Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in 2024, took over as starter as a rookie when Kirk Cousins was benched by the Falcons in Week 16 that season. He began this past season as starter and completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards in nine games with nine touchdowns and three interceptions before his injury. The team was 3-6 in his 2025 starts.
The Falcons fired head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot after the season following a second straight 8-9 season. Atlanta has hired a new regime over the last month, starting with president of football Matt Ryan, the former Falcons franchise quarterback. Ryan led the searches that ended up hiring Kevin Stefanski as head coach and Ian Cunningham as general manager.
“Neither of us are the head coach of the football team, so we can’t answer your question on that,” Ryan said Tuesday on whether Penix would be the starting quarterback. “… I think as we start to get into this process and dive deeper into the roster — how it currently stands, where it’s going in the future — I think those are conversations that’ll be a part of it.
“Quarterback’s obviously very important, and we’re excited about Mike and what he’s doing with his rehab. I’ve been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael’s been in there attacking that and he’s in a good space right now, so we’re excited about where he is at. But certainly, a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster.”
Penix, 25, is known for his arm talent and showed flashes of brilliance in some games but also dealt with the inconsistency that is typically characteristic of a quarterback who has only started 12 NFL games.
“How can you ever be mad at me when all I ever try to do is feed my family, how can you tell me I can’t do something and you don’t know what it took for me to get here?” Penix wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. “I’m a walking testimony, not too many people can say they’ve been through what I’ve been through and still have the determination to keep going.”
