There haven’t been many quarterbacks who have been drafted into a weirder situation than Michael Penix Jr.

The former Washington Husky was selected by an Atlanta Falcons team who had just committed $180 million to veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. He had no clear road to becoming the player he was selected to be. Nevertheless, he still found himself starting as a rookie.

Ever since then, it has been an up-and-down ride. There have been moments of brilliance, struggle, and injury, and now he is at a fork in the road with his professional career. NFL.com writer Nick Shook confirmed this by including him in his list of 11 ‘make-or-break players’ for the 2026 NFL season.

With Penix still working his way back from a season-ending knee injury — a process that seems to be on track, if not ahead of schedule, judging by Penix’s limited participation in OTAs this week — there’s a legitimate chance Tagovailoa begins the season as Atlanta’s starter,” Shook wrote. “If it’s a temporary measure, that’s fine, but Penix also wouldn’t be the first QB to get Wally Pipped in the NFL. It’s a plausible outcome in today’s minimally patient league, especially with a new regime now in charge.”

Michael Penix Jr. put his NFL future on the line with the Falcons in 2026

Penix Jr. is competing for the starting gig in Atlanta with Tua Tagovailoa. Unfortunately for him, Tua has a head start because he’s the healthy one.

This is a season that will define Penix Jr.’s career. If he performs, he cements himself as a franchise passer worthy of an extension. If he doesn’t, he either finds himself on the bench to start the season or gets benched, and the Falcons never look back — something Shook pointed out in his article.

‘Wally Pipped’ is the perfect analogy for his situation. As he goes on to explain, it may not matter how hard he works — his health could ruin everything. Hopefully, that isn’t the case because the two lefties deserve an equal shot at being a starter.

If anything, Penix Jr.’s controllable contract beyond this year should give him an advantage. But Shook does think believe he will end up starting at some point, with significant pressure on his shoulders.

“This situation is difficult because, no matter how hard he works, Penix might not have the full freedom to begin 2026 at full speed. When he does take the field, though, the pressure will be on. As a former top-10 pick whose brief success as a rookie largely pushed Kirk Cousins out of Atlanta, Penix will be expected to prove he’s continuing to develop, something he struggled to demonstrate in his second season before it ended abruptly with his third ACL tear. Hopefully, he’ll have most of the season to try to make it happen. Otherwise, questions regarding his future will only grow.”

The only thing we know for certain about the Falcons’ quarterbacks is that there is significant pressure on both potential starters. We will find out who is made for the moment as the summer progresses.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Travelers who regularly park at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are getting new options, and airport officials say it should be faster and easier to find a spot.

Airport leaders on Thursday unveiled the new South Parking Deck, which adds 6,429 spaces in the deck itself and 1,197 additional spaces in the South Economy Lot.

Officials say the deck is designed to cut down on the time drivers spend circling for parking. The facility includes a space guidance system that uses red and green lights to show where spots are open.

The deck also connects to the South Terminal area via a pedestrian bridge. Travelers should be able to park and walk to the ticket counters in under 10 minutes.

Security upgrades were also part of the project. Officials say the facility includes expanded camera coverage across all seven floors, with the system overlaid with artificial intelligence technology to help monitor the deck.

“With the red light green light system, the parking guidance system where you don’t have to drive around looking for a vehicle, it should take you a fraction of the time that it would take you if that wasn’t in place,” said Ricky Smith, general manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The opening comes as airport parking remains more expensive following last year’s rate hike. Daily parking for the decks is $30. Hourly parking costs $10 an hour, up from $3 before last spring.

City and airport officials touted the new deck as another step toward keeping the world’s busiest airport moving efficiently, saying Atlanta should lead in innovation all the way down to how efficient parking is.

The FIFA 2026 World Cup is just weeks away, and as teams begin to set up camp across North America ahead of the first matches, host cities are putting the final touches on their preparations.

Eight tournament matches will be played in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, referred to as “Atlanta Stadium” for the duration of the tournament. The venue sits in the heart of the city’s entertainment district, and fans will be able to watch the world’s best soccer players from the group stage all the way to the semifinal.

In a recent study from Action Network, Atlanta was ranked fifth overall for World Cup fan experience during this year’s tournament, citing the city’s walkability around the stadium and time from the airport to the venue. It ranked second among United States host cities, just behind Seattle.

But from road infrastructure to public transportation to hotels, it looks like Atlanta may not quite be ready for the soccer rush to begin in June. Here’s how parts of the city have prepared for the World Cup.

FBI will back up Atlanta Police, partner agencies during tournament

During a press conference on May 28, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Atlanta Office outlined their preparations for the tournament, and where their expertise could be needed.

Special Agents said the FBI SWAT teams would “maintain a high level of visibility” throughout the tournament, and fans should not be alarmed to see them around the stadium and at fan events as a precautionary measure.

Agents said there are “no known threats” to the tournament in Atlanta, but fans are encouraged to keep an eye out for suspicious behavior. The FBI also noted that human trafficking can take place during large events, like the World Cup, and the agency will have task forces working during the tournament period and throughout the summer.

FBI agents from across the state have been pulled into Atlanta to support the World Cup operations, and other agents could be requested throughout the southeast if an attack or threat were to occur, the Special Agents said.

Drones will also be prohibited from the area around the stadium and fan events, agents said. The “no drone zone” means unauthorized drones could be brought down.

MARTA prices will remain low, but safety benchmarks not yet met

The MARTA train and bus system, Atlanta’s public transportation, will not raise prices for their normal passes during the World Cup. The decision was made as public transportation officials in other states faced backlash for their exorbitant train fees during the period of the tournament.

A Breeze pass, which can be purchased online ahead of match day, will cost $2.50 one way to Mercedes-Benz, no different than any other day in Atlanta.

There are multiple MARTA stations near the stadium, including the newly-named Sports, Entertainment, and Convention District Station just steps away from Mercedes-Benz, the Georgia World Congress Center, State Farm Arena, Centennial Yards, the College Football Hall of Fame, the CNN Center, Centennial Park, the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola.

Spectators hoping to use MARTA for a match day can use a physical bank card, a mobile wallet, a virtual Breeze card, a physical Breeze card or cash to pay for their ride at any MARTA station. Many fans, both local and from out-of-town, are expected to rely on the MARTA system for their primary transportation in and around the stadium.

However, some MARTA upgrades that were intended to be complete by the World Cup may come up short, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported earlier this week.

As of May 26, the new trains developed by a Swiss manufacturer had not met the full suite of safety checks to be operational within 30 days, after the World Cup begins in Atlanta, the outlet reported. Interim General Manager and CEO Jonathan Hunt said in an interview that he believes MARTA will still be able to meet the June 4 safety deadline, but he was willing to delay signing off on the new trains if they were not deemed 100% safe for passengers. More safety screenings took place this week.

Stadler, the manufacturer, said in a statement to the AJC the company was “confident about meeting the service start goal in line with the testing and training protocols,” and that so far “the trains are performing as expected.”