Falcons rookie Michael Penix Jr. announces his engagement 6 days after his first career start

Michael Penix Jr. has been busy this week.

On Sunday, he made his debut as an NFL starter, leading the Atlanta Falcons to a victory over the New York Giants.

Later that week he got engaged. In a video posted to Instagram on Saturday, he proposed to girlfriend Olivia Carter in his Atlanta backyard, decked out with Christmas decorations and a giant “MARRY ME” display.

In front of a sizable audience, Carter said yes, and the couple began celebrating.

Carter is a former college football player at Nevada and hails from Washington state, where Penix became a star with the Huskies. Their relationship dates back to at least last November.

The Falcons surprisingly selected Penix with the eighth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. The pick wasn’t a surprise because of Penix’s resume, but rather because of veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins’ $180 million signing earlier in the offseason. After just under 14 games early in his Falcons career, Atlanta benched Cousins ​​for Penix.

Penix didn’t have the best numbers in his first start, but there were encouraging signs that he could push the Falcons’ offense to its potential. His next challenge will be a primetime one against fellow rookie Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

Then it’s time for wedding planning.