Latest news with #DarnellMooney
New York Times
7 days ago
- General
- New York Times
Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. has stepped up; now he's working on speaking up
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The only measuring stick Darnell Mooney can think of to illustrate Michael Penix Jr.'s progress in becoming a more vocal leader is that this year Penix will sometimes tell Mooney his music stinks. Mooney, the Falcons' sixth-year wide receiver, likes a wide range of genres. Penix, the team's second-year quarterback, is hip-hop only. Advertisement 'He's being a little more vocal with that,' Mooney said, 'but he's still a quiet guy.' So quiet that Penix still keeps his thoughts on the subject mostly to himself. 'I don't refuse to listen to it,' the quarterback said. 'It's a little different than mine. I'll listen to it, but in the back of my head, I'll be like, 'Turn it off.'' Penix was thrust into a leadership position in Atlanta in Week 16 last season when he replaced veteran Kirk Cousins as the starting quarterback and then started the final three games. This offseason, the Falcons have been emphatic that Penix is their quarterback of the future, and the 25-year-old is trying to get more comfortable with all that comes with his new role, which requires more talking. Still, the University of Washington product is so serene that it was the first thing veteran wide receiver Jamal Agnew learned when he joined the team as a free agent in March. 'They always joke around like, 'Mike don't talk much,'' Agnew said. 'I'm starting to realize that.' Quarterbacks coach D.J. Williams recently relayed Penix's emotional outburst last season on the day he learned he was being elevated to the starting job, fulfilling a dream he had had for most of his life. 'We had some taco trucks outside, and we just walked and went and got a taco,' Williams said. 'He ate one and asked if I wanted the other one. I'm like, 'No, I'm good.'' No, 'Yipee!' No, 'How about that!' No, 'Woo-hoo!' Just get a taco and get back to work. The Falcons coaches don't care that their quarterback is not the talkative type. In fact, they have come to view his preternatural calm as a strength and maybe even a superpower. 'Everyone has their own leadership style,' passing game coordinator T.J. Yates said. 'He's going to be very different from Kirk. He's not a guy that is going to be super out loud. He leads a lot by example, by how hard he works. He's never going to be a big rah-rah guy, it's not his personality.' Advertisement Falcons coach Raheem Morris said Penix has 'a real unique kind of wide receiver vibe to him when he's talking to the guys.' 'He's finding his voice,' Morris said. 'He leads a little bit differently, probably than a lot of people. We've got to find a healthy rhythm in how you coach it up and how you really encourage it. A lot of times you want people to talk, but you don't give them an opportunity to. The more opportunities you give them, the better he'll get at it, and that's what I'm looking forward to doing.' Penix is in the first phase of what Morris envisions as a three-step evaluation of his leadership process. 'When you take over that quarterback spot, there's a certain humility about playing the position, and then it becomes a certain confidence about playing the position. It eventually turns into a little bit of almost an arrogance about playing the position where it becomes non-negotiable,' the coach said. 'We're not there yet. I don't think we will be for a little bit.' Still, Morris said he believes Penix is beginning to gain the confidence special quarterbacks possess. 'I've been fortunate enough to be around a few of them in the last two in Matt Ryan and obviously (Matthew) Stafford out in L.A.,' Morris said. 'When they had that kind of control and you felt that kind of arrogance, you felt those kind of guys that could just go out there and win any football game. You felt like you couldn't be beat. It was really just coming off of those guys in those moments. You can feel it at times (with Penix), even last year, but those things are coming.' Them boys up to something 🔥@themikepenix x @DrakeLondon_ — Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) May 29, 2025 Penix had a conversation this offseason with Ryan, who was not known for his verbal reserve. 'He talked to me about his time and how he got to where he ended up, his building blocks,' Penix said. 'That was big time.' Falcons offensive tackle Jake Matthews called Penix 'very reserved' and acknowledged that he wondered last season how Penix would handle the starting job. Advertisement 'But right when he got in the huddle, it was like, 'This guy knows what he's doing,'' Matthews said. 'Very quiet guy off the field, but a great dude. Someone you want to do well for.' Penix has focused this season on getting to know more of his teammates and more about them. Quietly, of course. 'I feel like I've done a lot better connecting with everybody around the team, not just offensive guys but defensive guys as well,' he said. 'Whether that's doing things around the facility, eating lunch, or going out and playing golf. I like to get to know my teammates. I don't think you can lead anybody if you don't know them. You have to build relationships. I want to get to know those guys to know who can take certain leadership styles, if it's verbal right there in the moment or if it's pulling you to the side. Hanging out with them more, that's it.' Mooney has appreciated the effort. 'I think he's been doing well owning that he's the guy and that he's going to be the guy,' he said. 'He's done a good job of showing up every day. Just continue to show up.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atlanta Falcons post-draft position preview: Wide receiver
The Atlanta Falcons offense has the pieces in place to be one of the most prolific units in the NFL this season. While Drake London and Darnell Mooney put together solid seasons in 2024, they're still waiting to get the recognition they deserve. Atlanta's dynamic receiver duo combined for 2,263 yards and 14 touchdowns last year. The Falcons added a few players to their wide receiver room, signing return specialist Jamal Agnew and undrafted free agent Nick Nash. The team also re-signed special teams ace KhaDarel Hodge, who's coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance. Advertisement Check out Atlanta's post-draft wide receiver breakdown for the 2025 NFL season below. WR Depth Chart (13): Drake London Darnell Mooney Ray-Ray McCloud KhaDarel Hodge Jamal Agnew Casey Washington Chris Blair Nick Nash David Sills Dylan Drummond Makai Polk Jesse Matthews Quincy Skinner Jr. London, Mooney and McCloud will again serve as the team's top three wideouts. The team signed Agnew to take over the kick/punt return duties from former Falcons running back Avery Williams. Outside of the top guys, look out for Chris Blair, David Sills and Nash to be in the mix for a spot on the 53-man roster. Don't sleep on second-year wideout Casey Washington, who played a role on special teams last season as a rookie. 2025 salary cap hits Mooney: $14,480,000 London: $6,851,878 McCloud: $4,120,000 Hodge: $2,135,000 Agnew: $1,730,000 Washington: $1,008,399 Sills: $1,100,000 Blair: $960,000 Polk: $852,500 Nash: $846,666 Skinner: $842,000 Drummond: $840,000 Matthews: $840,000 Mooney has the highest cap hit of the team's wide receivers in 2025. The former Bear finished with 992 receiving yards last season and that was without playing in the final game. London has the second-highest cap hit as he enters his fourth season in Atlanta. The team just picked up London's fifth-year option, assuring he'll be with the team through the 2026 season at least. Hodge signed a two-year, $6 million contract to remain in Atlanta. Top free agents available: Keenan Allen Amari Cooper Gabe Davis DJ Chark Brandon Powell Advertisement Atlanta has a nice wide receiver core, so we don't foresee the team bringing in any of the big-name players available at the position. Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper will probably only be considered if the team suffered an injury to one of its top receivers. Predictions/expectations for 2025 The Falcons did not draft a single wide receiver, nor did they make any significant additions in free agency. The group will continue to be led by an ascending London, who's firmly established himself as the No. 1 option, and Mooney, who quietly had a nice season as the team's No. 2 wideout. Agnew likely won't play a major role on offense but is a huge special teams signing. McCloud returns as the team's slot receiver after a career year in 2024. Atlanta should have one of the better wide receiver rooms in the NFL this season. Around Falcons Wire This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons wide receiver breakdown: Drake London, Darnell Mooney return
New York Times
26-04-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Why the Falcons, 49ers forfeited their fifth-round picks in 2025 NFL Draft
When teams break NFL rules, one of the ways the league can penalize them is through the loss of draft picks. This is what happened to both the Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers in the last year. Atlanta was docked its 2025 fifth-round pick and was fined $250,000 for violating the NFL's anti-tampering policy regarding free-agent signings. The league announced in June 2024 that it had found the Falcons had made improper contact with then-free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Charlie Woerner, all of whom signed with Atlanta in the 2024 offseason. Additionally, general manager Terry Fontenot was fined $50,000 for violating the league's anti-tampering policy. Advertisement The investigation was spurred following comments Cousins made during his introductory news conference, when he indicated he spoke with team medical personnel while driving from Minnesota with his family to sign the already agreed-upon contract. In its investigation, the NFL also found that the Falcons had premature conversations with Mooney and Woerner. Cousins' deal got the most attention because he was one of the top free agents in last year's class and his four-year, $180 million pact was one of the biggest in the league. He lost his starting job late last season to Michael Penix Jr., whom the Falcons drafted with the eighth pick in the first round last spring. Atlanta enters the 2025 draft with five picks in total. San Francisco forfeited its 2025 fifth-round pick (in addition to a 2024 fourth-round pick) after the league discovered administrative payroll accounting errors that resulted in a misreporting of the team's cumulative player compensation. That draft pick penalty was announced in March 2024. The accounting errors were found to be from the close of the 2022 league year — a season that saw the 49ers go 13-4 and reach the NFC Championship Game. Since the penalty was announced, the 49ers have acquired two fifth-round picks from other teams among their 11 total picks entering draft weekend. They now hold pick No. 147 from the Washington Commanders (as part of the Deebo Samuel trade) and pick No. 160 from the Minnesota Vikings (as part of the Jordan Mason trade). Since the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch regime took over in 2017, the fifth round has been a spot where the 49ers have found multiple starters and impact players. Among them: tight end George Kittle (2017), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (2019), cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (2021) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (2021). Greenlaw and Hufanga both signed with the Denver Broncos in March.
