Falcons’ Penix vows in post he’ll never fold in face of pressure – ESPN

Stephen A. has some words for Michael Penix Jr. (1:21) Stephen A. Smith holds nothing back on whether the Falcons should regret drafting Michael Penix Jr. (1:21) Marc RaimondiFeb 4, 2026, 05:14 PM ET Close Marc Raimondi’s first year covering the Falcons was 2024, but it wasn’t his first year at ESPN. He joined the company in 2019 and was a top combat sports reporter. He also covered professional wrestling and wrote the book “Say Hello to the Bad Guys: How Pro Wrestling’s New World Order Changed America,” which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2025. Raimondi also worked for the New York Post and Newsday, beginning in 2009, covering high school and college sports, plus the NFL, NFL, MLB and NHL. Michael Penix Jr., nearly three months into rehab after ACL surgery, wrote a post Wednesday on Instagram addressing how he has battled the odds and those who have doubted him. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback wrote that he will never fold in the face of pressure, questioned those who have criticized him and vowed to continue to work hard despite outside influences. Penix’s posting came a day after Falcons president of football Matt Ryan was asked if Penix
Read More