Stefanski maps – Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski says Michael Penix will stay limited to individual and 7-on-7 work as he continues recovering from a torn ACL, even as Atlanta moves into OTA 11-on-11 sessions. Stefanski also laid out how the Falcons plan to handle quarterba
When the Atlanta Falcons moved into the OTA phase of their offseason workouts this week, the calendar finally opened the door to something quarterback fans have been waiting for: real 11-on-11 reps.
The work will matter in the Falcons’ decision heading into the fall. But Michael Penix isn’t there yet. At a Tuesday press conference, head coach Kevin Stefanski said Penix remains limited to individual and 7-on-7 work as he continues to recover from a torn ACL.
The Falcons can start doing 11-on-11 during practice sessions during this OTA phase, and that makes the quarterback timeline more than just a training detail—it becomes the first real test of how the competition will be managed.
Stefanski looked ahead to how the matchup with Tua Tagovailoa will unfold once Penix is able to return to everything on the practice field. “Very intentionally,” Stefanski said. “I think it’s our job — I think [offensive coordinator] Tommy Rees does an outstanding job of making sure that we’re intentional about how we want this to operate.”.
His description of the plan is built around rotation and constant comparison: “One guy will be up first one period and then switch with the next period and rotate every single day and really almost every drill because the truth is we’re trying to get the best version of all of our players. so we want to mix and match guys in different spots.”.
For now, the key question is how much of that full-team head-to-head work Penix can actually handle. It’s unclear whether he will move up to full team drills when the Falcons have their mandatory minicamp next month. If he doesn’t. training camp in Atlanta is where the bulk of the competition between Penix and Tagovailoa will likely take shape.
The sequence is straightforward. and it puts the timing front and center: Atlanta is stepping into 11-on-11 OTA work. Penix is still on a recovery restriction. and the Falcons’ stated approach is to run the quarterback battle with deliberate daily rotation—at least in full once Penix is cleared to do everything.
Kevin Stefanski Michael Penix Tua Tagovailoa Atlanta Falcons OTA minicamp torn ACL quarterback competition Tommy Rees