Michael Penix Jr. will start at quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday after being cleared without an injury designation for the home matchup against the Chicago Bears.
Penix had been dealing with a rib issue suffered late in Atlanta’s Week 5 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but he said earlier this week that he was feeling good. Head coach Kevin Stefanski had also indicated that the third-year quarterback was on track to play provided there were no late complications.
Atlanta did not disclose the specific nature of Penix’s injury or the results of any imaging conducted during the week. His absence from Friday’s injury report, however, removes the final question about his availability.
Penix returns after late Ravens setback
The former first-round pick was injured on a sack near the end of the Ravens game. He missed one snap, briefly went back into the contest, then returned to the sideline for the remainder of the game.
Tua Tagovailoa took over for Penix and threw an interception in overtime that ended Atlanta’s loss.
Penix opened the season after completing a lengthy recovery from an ACL tear and made his first appearance of the year in Week 3. He helped the Falcons win consecutive games before last week’s defeat in Baltimore.
Falcons face Bears at 1 p.m. ET
In three starts this season, Penix has completed 67.5 percent of his passes for 719 yards, with three touchdown throws and one interception.
| Team | Record | Kickoff |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 3-2 | Sunday, 1 p.m. ET |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2-3 | Sunday, 1 p.m. ET |
The Falcons will try to get back to .500 with Penix under center when Chicago visits Atlanta on Sunday.
