WESTFIELD, Ind. (AP) — Michael Penix Jr. went through his usual routine Wednesday and Thursday — quarterback drills, seven-on-seven work and mental reps as his Atlanta Falcons teammates squared off with the Indianapolis Colts during two days of joint practice.
Except there was nothing typical about this trip to Indiana for Penix.
The Indiana University graduate spent the week about 90 miles northwest of the Bloomington campus, throwing in front of some familiar fans and an old Hoosiers teammate, Wabash College safeties coach Noah Pierre.
To some in central Indiana, it was a reminder that Penix was supposed to be the quarterback who would revive Indiana football. Instead, his career and the Hoosiers’ ascension was derailed by multiple injuries like the one he’s now trying to overcome in his third season with Atlanta.
“I’ve got to talk to my doctor, and I know that call will be coming up soon,” Penix said. “I’ve got to talk to my doctor to see where he thinks I am and see how he feels about everything. Then we’ll go from there.”
For Penix, it’s been a rugged road back from a third surgery for a torn ACL. This one was the first in his left knee.
The injury cost Penix the final five games of last season, his first as the Falcons’ full-time starter. Since then, the Falcons signed Tua Tagovailoa following his release by the Miami Dolphins, added undrafted rookie Jack Strand and brought in veteran Cooper Rush last month.
Tagovailoa has struggled in camp, including the past two days. His workout Thursday ended with four straight errant throws during a two-minute drill.
“You’ve got to be where you are right now and learn from what happened in practice,” Tagovailoa said Wednesday. “We’ll take the good as well as the bad. We’ll move forward and continue to play that way.”
Penix, meanwhile, continues to follow his rehab plan.
“It’s not frustrating,” Penix said. “Obviously, I don’t get a lot of reps so I want to take advantage of every rep I get. Today, I ended on a bad play, I ended on a pick. So for me, it’s like now I’ve got to sit here the rest of practice and think that was my last play. But at the same time, it’s good to be able to go out there and compete. It’s good to be able to learn from the mistakes.”
Jones looks sharp for Colts as Richardson battles for backup role
The Colts also have two quarterbacks — Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson — trying to prove themselves.
Jones suffered a broken bone in his left leg and a season-ending torn right Achilles tendon last year. Doctors cleared him without any limitations to return to practice as training camp opened, and Jones has taken all of the normal snaps in team drills and has looked sharp.
“I feel good, I feel good moving around,” Jones said. “I think with any major rehab process, you’re always kind of progressing and getting back and getting used to doing everything, building up the reps on it, building your conditioning level. So that’s good. There’s nothing I don’t feel good about.”
Richardson, like Penix a first-round pick with a long injury history, is trying to show he can stay healthy and fulfill his potential. He’s battling to remain the No. 2 quarterback on Indy’s depth chart.
Richardson looked better, at times, during Indy’s first preseason game. He went 11 of 14 for 145 yards, but he also threw an interception and lost a fumble. Second-year quarterback Riley Leonard is expected to start Saturday’s preseason game against Atlanta.
For the second straight day, there were no major fights as the Colts wrapped up a nine-year run in Westfield, a suburb of Indy. The Colts are expected to hold next summer’s camp at the team headquarters.
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