Calm Under Fire, Drake London Impressed with Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr.

When the Atlanta Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft,  it shocked the entire NFL world.

Not necessarily because he wasn’t worthy of being a top-10 pick, but because the Falcons had just given a four-year, $180-million contract to Kirk Cousins. With two years of guaranteed money to Cousins, Penix wasn’t supposed to start until 2026.  However, with a mid-season collapse from Cousins, Penix was thrust into action in Week 16 against the New York Giants. 

Penix, up until that point, had taken very few first-team reps with the first-team receivers. In those last three games of the season, he was forced to step up as the leader of the offense. Despite limited time together, Penix and wide receiver Drake London found instant chemistry, including a career-high 187 yards receiving in the final game of the season against the Carolina Panthers. 

“He was thrown into the fire last year, and we got live reps without even doing much (practice),” London said at mini-camp this week. “So, that gave me a lot of confidence regardless of anything. He’s a gamer, so I know when he’s out there, he’s going to make the right choices and the right plays.”    

This year, Penix has a full off-season to grow into the role and build a rapport with his receivers. London has enjoyed watching the transformation as Penix enters year two. 

“It’s good,” London said of Penix’s evolution as the starter. “I think he knows that it’s him. He’s got to lead us now, so there’s a little bit of ramp-up in that. At the same time, Mike’s Mike. I still haven’t seen him waiver from who he is. That gives us a lot of promise and gives us a lot of hope.”

London went on to describe the aspects of Penix’s demeanor that give the team promise and hope.

“I appreciate him because he’s calm,” London said. “Not too many quarterbacks are calm. But him being calm and understanding too, that maybe other people may mess up, and he has an understanding of that. At the end of the day, it’s just a person of who he is. He’s a great dude off the field, and that translates a lot.”         

London’s numbers in the final three games of the season, when playing with quarterback Michael Penix Jr., were certainly boosted. In the 14 games he played with Cousins, he averaged 65.6 yards per game. In the three games he played with Penix, he averaged 117.3. He had one 100-yard game with Cousins. He had two (in three games) with Penix. 

Penix put the NFL on notice yesterday, saying that if London was underappreciated, he wouldn’t be at the end of the season. It appears the respect is mutual between the quarterback and his star receiver.