Michael Penix Jr. admits there is one surprising thing he wasn’t expecting about the NFL

Michael Penix Jr. is still in his rookie season in the NFL. Kirk Cousins appears to be in no danger of losing his starting job.

Michael Penix Jr. has quietly let Kirk Cousins soak up the attention. Some have predicted that Cousins would have gave way to Penix by now. However, the rookie continues to soak in the NFL from one of the least stressful viewpoints of any rookie quarterback this season.

The Atlanta Falcons haven’t had the perfect season, but it is miles ahead of where the team has been in the post-Matt Ryan era. If things keep going the way they are, Michael Penix Jr. might eventually be in position to receive the same expectations that Jordan Love’s team had going into the 2024 season.

However, fans of biggest rival of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season might have plenty of time on their hands as they wait. They aren’t the only ones feeling that way, it appears.

Michael Penix Jr. talks most surprising thing

Speaking in an interview with “Pro Football Talk,” Michael Penix Jr expressed surprise about how much time he had on his hands.

He explained: “I want to say it surprised me just the time, you know. I feel like you just got so much time on your hands but you can’t look at it as free time.

“You still got to find work. You got to get a massage or like give them a slice or something or find a doctor to work on your body or just extra reps, you know, in a film room on the field after practice, different things like that. You got to make sure you take advantage of your time,” he said.

Of course, if he was the starting quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, his extra time would go up in smoke.

Backup players, especially at quarterback, find themselves tasked with merely remaining available and in shape. Outside of that, the players often are left to their own devices or at least exist outside the attention of most of the coaches, media, and other staff.

Michael Penix Jr. college production

While Penix is officially listed as a quarterback out of the University of Washington, his time there made up less than half of his seasons in college. Originally, Penix’s first four years came as a member of the Indiana Hoosiers.

According to Sports Reference, Penix’s production at the two schools was night and day. Penix failed to throw for 15 touchdowns in a season with the Hoosiers but threw for at least 30 touchdowns in each season with the Washington Huskies.