The Atlanta Falcons left Sunday night’s 30-23 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens with a bigger concern than the final score after Michael Penix Jr. suffered a rib injury.
The third-year quarterback took a hard hit late in regulation and did not return for Atlanta’s overtime possession. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said after the game that Penix had tried to get back in but was unable to do so.
“He was working to get comfortable, but could not,” Stefanski said. The Falcons will know more after Penix undergoes imaging.
The injury occurred with 27 seconds remaining in regulation and the score tied 23-23. Penix was sacked for a 10-yard loss by Ravens defensive lineman Tavius Robinson and fumbled on the play. Atlanta recovered the ball, but Penix was slow to get up before walking off under his own power.
Tua Tagovailoa replaced him briefly and completed a 14-yard pass to Brian Robinson Jr. Penix then reentered for one play and threw an incomplete pass on third down before the Falcons punted to end regulation.
Penix stayed on the sideline in overtime with a towel over his head as Baltimore drove for a touchdown. He was initially listed as questionable to return with the rib injury, but Tagovailoa remained in when Atlanta got the ball back trailing 30-23.
Penix finished 19-of-32 for 240 yards and one touchdown against the Ravens. He connected with Kyle Pitts for a five-yard touchdown in the second quarter and did not throw an interception.
The Falcons led 23-15 with less than three minutes remaining before Baltimore erased the deficit, tied the game with 40 seconds left on a touchdown and two-point conversion, and won in overtime.
Penix only recently reclaimed the starting job after spending much of the offseason working back from the torn ACL that ended his 2025 season. He returned to the lineup in Week 3 and helped the Falcons beat the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints in consecutive prime-time games.
Atlanta’s offense scored 80 points across those two wins, with Penix throwing for 479 yards and two touchdowns in that span. He completed 18 of 25 passes for 256 yards, one touchdown and one interception against Green Bay, then went 15 of 20 for 223 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions against New Orleans.
Tagovailoa’s return to the field was brief and ended poorly. He completed a 20-yard pass to Drake London on Atlanta’s first offensive snap of overtime, but two plays later Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton intercepted him at the Baltimore 38 to end the game.
Tagovailoa finished 2-of-3 for 34 yards and the interception. The Falcons signed him during the offseason in part to provide an experienced option while Penix completed his recovery from the knee injury.
Penix eventually took over once healthy enough to play, and the offense improved immediately. Whether Atlanta has to turn back to Tagovailoa for anything beyond Sunday’s emergency duty will depend on what the imaging shows.
For now, the Falcons are waiting on medical evaluation. Penix tried to get comfortable enough to return Sunday night and could not, leaving his availability for next week’s game against the Chicago Bears in doubt.
