The Atlanta Falcons haven’t exactly been flying under the radar this offseason, but one unexpected endorsement is really starting to make waves—and it came from none other than a former Heisman trophy winner. While most of the NFL world is trying to figure out what exactly the Falcons are building under Raheem Morris, one voice might have made it pretty clear.

And that voice? Former NFL Pro Bowler Robert Griffin III. The player he’s betting on? Let’s just say he’s not the one carrying the $40 million contract. His words have raised eyebrows around a certain sophomore QB who might just be about to flip the entire depth chart upside down.

RG3 made his strong feelings about the Falcons’ rookie Michael Penix Jr clear as he wrote, “Michael Penix Jr. will be the breakout QB of the Year in the NFL this year,” on X. This isn’t just RG3 throwing out compliments—this is benchmarking. He sees what Penix brings to the table: a cannon arm, the backyard playmaker style, and a mindset made for the big stage.

“He will show off his ELITE arm talent, downfield throwing ability and anticipation this year. But his 3 starts last year showed he isn’t afraid of the NFL pass rush. Penix Jr. led the NFL with 17.3 yards/completion when under pressure. That’s an important trait for any young QB to have in order to make their presence felt at the NFL level. That’s good news for Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, and Tyler Allgeier,” he added.

And for a rookie with only three starts under his belt, this is a big deal. Penix threw for 775 yards, 3 TDs, and 3 picks—well, not mind-blowing at first glance. But look closer: he posted an 87.9 PFF grade, top 8 among all QBs. That’s not some feel-good stat. It suggests that there is more than just grit under the hood.

And Griffin taking notice? That matters. And you don’t ignore the words of a guy who was the blueprint. And if Penix can tap into even half of it? He might not just look like a rookie trying to prove himself, but the guy Atlanta didn’t know it needed under center.

Falcons fans got a taste of it in week 18—312 yards, 2 TDs, and an 88.8 rating. But a full season is an entirely different ball game. He did struggle with consistency last year. 3 TDs, 3 INTs across 105 attempts isn’t exactly elite—it’s rather average. But Raheem’s “we’re going to push everyone, but especially our QB—he’s our guy” ideology adds a lot of weight.

He certainly has the tools. With weapons like Drake London and Bijan Robinson backing him, he has quite a decent foundation built around him. But he isn’t flying under the radar anymore. He’s not the project—he’s the guy under the spotlight. And when voices like RG3 start to name-drop you? Expectations plummet real quick. But there’s one thing we cannot forget: someone is behind him in the depth chart; someone expensive.

The $40 Million Question Lurking Behind Penix’s Rise

Now, let’s talk headaches—Atlanta is holding on to a major one (or an expensive one). The Falcons are starting at a $40 million dilemma named Kirk Cousins. That four-year, $180 deal? It was supposed to lock in their leader—but he’s no longer the guy the fans want to see as their starting QB. So the question is: Is Cousins the backup QB…with a starter’s price tag?

With Penix most likely disrupting the depth chart and becoming the undisputed Number 1 QB (with even RG3 handing him the torch), Cousins’ contract isn’t just expensive, it’s a full-blown anchor. The Falcons are paying nearly $40 million to what could be the priciest backup the league has ever seen. And if you look at the 2026 numbers? Even scarier. OverTheCap says they’re looking at $57.5 million dead cap hit in 2026—or $45 million even if they let him walk. This is a salary cap migraine.

Well, there were cap incentives if the Falcons had traded him before the June 1 deadline. But June’s halfway through—and he’s still here. The looming question is—will Atlanta give him a pivotal role simply because of his contract? Merely so that Atlanta could feel like they’ve not made an expensive mistake? Well, we’re at a stage where Cousins himself doesn’t think so. “You’d love to play, but I’m not going to dwell on things that aren’t reality,” he said in a recent interview.

With Penix projected to start, we’ll just have to wait and see how he performs during the span of an entire season. And if he lives up to half the expectations RG3 has for him? The Falcons would just have to wrestle with the reality that they paid elite money to yesterday’s answer, while the future’s answer was waiting on the sidelines.