FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Golfing. Fishing. Listening to music he doesn't like.
Michael Penix Jr. is willing to do just about anything to bond with his teammates. He is the Atlanta Falcons' new starting quarterback after all.
"He has just one brand, and it's hip-hop," wide receiver Darnell Mooney said. "I'm an all-around genre guy, so he doesn't really like when I play something out of his genre."
Said Penix: "I listen to it. But in the back of my head, I'm probably like, 'Turn it off.'"
It's a minor example, and it's likely just a joke between the two at this point. But Penix knows he's in more of an elevated leadership role this year compared to last, when he was the backup, and he's taking that upgrade in responsibility seriously.
That's where the bonding comes in. And it's not limited to his offensive counterparts. He included the defense and special teams when referencing the importance of learning more about his teammates.
"I feel like you can't lead nobody whenever you don't know them," Penix said. "I feel like you got to build relationships. And for me, I want to get to know those guys so I can know who can take certain leadership styles. If it's verbal, like right there in the moment, or if it's pull you to the side, just understanding those guys and having that relationship built with those guys."
Penix's efforts haven't gone unnoticed either.
"I definitely like his approach," Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said. "I like his open mindset. I like his ability to go out there and really get the guys going every day. I like his ability to sit back and debrief on those things when you ask him those questions. I like his ability to really figure it out and how he wants to do it better with each individual part of his group, whether it be the team or whether it just be offense. He's a really conscientious young man, and that's just something I see him growing in every single day."
Tuesday was just the start, as Organized Team Activities (OTAs) commenced.
Penix looked a bit shaky at moments, even throwing three consecutive incompletions during the first series of 11-on-11 work. But the weather was crummy. It was the Falcons' first time in helmets. And Penix never appeared rattled, which may be the most important detail.
In fact, after those reps, he completed a short pass to wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge, and that pass alone showed Penix has improved his touch on shorter distances. His zip on a deep ball has never been questioned. This shows growth in other areas of his game.
"I've never seen Mike get overwhelmed," Falcons safety Jessie Bates III said. "He's just always super poised. That's something that I kind of take pride in myself as well. You can't get too high, you can't get too low. And that's what Mike does really well. It's good when your leader's like that, right? He's the guy that's touching the ball every single play. There's a lot of guys looking at him for his leadership. I think he's ready to step into it, for sure."
Penix was always supposed to become the Falcons' starting quarterback — at some point. Atlanta drafted him with the No. 8 overall pick last year. The franchise hadn't made a first-round move such as that since selecting Matt Ryan at No. 3 overall in 2008.
However, Penix's timeline was sped up when the Falcons benched veteran Kirk Cousins in Week 16. Penix then became the starter for the final three games and has maintained the title into his second season.
"He's finding his voice," Morris said. "As you know, when you take over that quarterback spot, there's a certain humility about playing the position, and then it becomes a certain confidence about playing the position. It eventually turns into a little bit of almost an arrogance about playing the position where it becomes non-negotiable. We're not there yet. I don't think we will be for a little bit, but I think he's at the mode of where he's starting to get the confidence to be able to figure out how to get to that moment."
