Atlanta Falcons defender Michael Penix Jr.. suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury during Sunday's loss to Carolina Pantherssources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Penix will seek a second opinion, sources told Schefter.
Veteran Kirk Cousins ended up replacing Penix on Sunday 30-27 lost at home in overtime and will take over the Falcons' starting quarterback role with Penix out of the game. The loss dropped the Falcons to 3-7.
Penix was 13 of 16 for 175 yards before getting hit with 5:22 left in the third quarter on an incomplete pass. Penix tried to get up, but then hit the turf again and took off his helmet.
This is the second knee injury Penix has dealt with this season. He had a bruise on his left knee that kept him out of the Falcons' game against the Falcons. San Francisco 49ers at 7 weeks.
Penix suffered four season-ending injuries in college, including torn ACLs in 2018 and 2020.
Penix has completed 60.1 percent of his passes this season for 1,982 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions.
After replacing Penix, Cousins ​​was 6 of 14 for 48 yards.
The Falcons signed Cousins ​​to a $100 million guaranteed contract in 2024, but then selected Penix with the No. 8 pick in the draft a few weeks later. Atlanta believed it was solidifying its present and future at quarterback.
Cousins ​​started last season before a five-game stretch in which he threw nine interceptions. Penix took over in Week 16 and the Falcons said he would start moving forward. The Falcons were expected to trade or release Cousins, but the organization was happy with him as a backup option despite the hefty price tag.
