Penix set to return as Falcons face Packers with season at stake Thursday night

Michael Penix Jr. is active for Week 3 against Green Bay, while Atlanta placed cornerback A.J. Terrell on injured reserve ahead of Thursday Night Football.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is set to play Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers after sitting out the team's first two games. Speaking about his return, Penix said he was excited to be back on the field and described the matchup as going to war with his teammates. The quarterback also pushed back on those who questioned why he had not played, saying he would never choose to sit out when healthy.

The stakes are high for Atlanta, which enters the week winless. A loss would drop the Falcons to 0-3 with a tougher stretch of games ahead, while a victory could change the direction of the season. Penix, a former first-round pick who led Washington to the national championship game in college, won prime-time starts against Buffalo and Minnesota last season.

On the personnel front, the Falcons placed cornerback A.J. Terrell on injured reserve. Terrell has been managing multiple injuries, including a groin issue that kept him out for most of Week 2. In a corresponding move, Atlanta signed defensive lineman Zach Harrison to the active roster. Harrison, a former third-round pick who was cut at the roster deadline and elevated from the practice squad in Week 2, could see a larger role with defensive end Samson Ebukam dealing with a hamstring injury.

The Falcons are also expected to add cornerback Robert Longerbeam off the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad, per NFL reporter Mike Garafolo. Longerbeam was a sixth-round pick by Baltimore in the 2025 draft out of Rutgers but missed his rookie season on injured reserve before joining Philadelphia's practice squad after being waived in August.

On the injury front, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was a full participant in Tuesday's practice after being limited Monday. Tagovailoa has been dealing with an oblique injury since Week 1. Atlanta listed nine players on its Tuesday report, with Ebukam the only non-participant.