Former Washington Huskies star quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s recovery from a partially torn ACL is, according to his doctor, going very well. “I went and saw the doctor before camp started. He’s like, ‘This is an amazing ACL. You should never have any more knee problems for the rest of your career,’” Penix told the media. “That’s word for word what he told me." However, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft has yet to be cleared for 11-on-11 practices as the season nears, leading to some doubt that he'll be able to regain his starting job, at least right away, from veteran free agent signee Tua Tagovailoa. But the hurdles that the rocket-armed left-hander who was the runner-up for the 2023 Heisman Trophy needs to clear to return to the field aren't physical.
I encourage everybody to listen to Michael Penix Jr’s 90-second answer about the mental hurdle he discussed still needing to clear. Really enjoyed this exchange with him. So, so transparent. 🎥: @AtlantaFalconshttps://t.co/DTntUHEeLWpic.twitter.com/2rKcwaLiMl — Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) August 12, 2026 "Mentally, I don't know how to put it; unless you've been in that position, it's like if something bad happened to you, you remember every step that took up to the place where something bad happened to you," Penix added. "The next time you're going to do it, you're going to do it, you're going to think about it again, even if you feel like the results are going to be better." "It's in your mind. I've been through it two times already; I know what I'm going to be going through, I know the mental aspect of it to where it's like, 'Ok, yes, I am healthy, but do I trust that?'" As Penix looks to clear his final hurdle ahead of his third season in the NFL, he has about a month to prepare as the Falcons are slated to kick off the regular season on Sunday, September 13, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Michael Penix Jr. discusses mental hurdles in return from injury