Michael Penix Jr. learned of his Falcons promotion while he was getting a Costco hot dog

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was making a routine errand run with his girlfriend when he got a life-changing phone call.

Penix said he learned on Tuesday evening during a Costco run that his team was planning to start him moving forward over veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Funny enough, the new starting Falcons quarterback told Atlanta media on Wednesday that he was actually in line to get a Costco hot dog when he got the news.

“I was actually getting a hot dog [when the call came in],” Penix said, via Fox 5 Sports’ Mary Alex Anders. “And whenever I got the call, I wasn’t hungry no more.”

That is absolutely wonderful. Penix was never promised a chance to start a game during his rookie season, but his time to enter the Atlanta starting lineup has come much sooner than expected because of Cousins’ struggles.

As he prepares for such a major step in his NFL career, he’ll have this funny Costco memory to look back on as the moment he finally learned of his chance to lead the Falcons.

So turns out, Michael Penix Jr. found out he would be #Falcons QB1 while getting a hotdog at @Costco with his girlfriend @FOX5Sports @AtlantaFalcons pic.twitter.com/mZ5G2ScAQ7

— Mary Alex Anders- Fox 5 Sports (@maryalexanders_) December 19, 2024