Faith and football have been the two principles Michael Penix Jr. and his family have stuck by their whole life. His parents saw a great football player in him from a very young age. Their Little Mike became the first Heisman finalist from the Tampa Bay Area.

Penix played at Indiana University for 4 seasons. Injuries highlighted his Indiana stint before he made the move to Washington. Within just 2 seasons as a Husky, Penix stormed into the record books, scoring 3rd most touchdowns and passing yards finishing 2nd in the Heisman trophy race. NFL scouts noticed, and he was drafted 8th overall in the 2024 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

Who is Michael Penix Jr.’s dad?

Penix Jr.’s father Michael Penix Sr. was born in Tennessee and played as a Running Back for his school and football teams. He amassed over 2,000 career rushing yards, including a school-record 261-yard game in 1993. Though he never played in the NFL, he saw his son as someone who could play at that level.

After college, Penix Sr. took over teaching responsibilities and coached at Pasco High School. As his parent, he wanted the best for his firstborn. So, the Penix family packed bags and made the move to Hillsborough County, Florida, in 2016. Michael Penix Jr. found himself at Tampa Bay Technical.

It was a tough decision for Penix Sr. to leave his hometown. “Don’t get me wrong, Pasco High is where I went to school at, and I’ll always have something special for the red and black,” the elder Penix said. “But as a parent, you have to look over that kind of stuff.”

Penix Jr. threw the ball over 2,000 yards and scored 31 touchdowns with just one interception in his junior year. He led the team to the second playoff round. In his senior year, he saw even greater success. Michael Penix Jr. scored 30 touchdowns, and with just two interceptions. He threw the ball over 2,165 yards, winning the Tampa Bay Times’ Offensive Player of the Year. Across two seasons, he amassed 61 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

Seeing Michael Penix Jr. grow into a football star is everything his father would have hoped for. Watching Washington fans wear his son’s jersey must have filled him with pride at the 2024 National Championship: “It’s great seeing Michael’s name on people’s jerseys and Michigan fans actually coming up and wishing him well,” he had shared right before his son took the field in the 2024 National Championship.

Who is the Falcons QB’s mom?

“All I did was give birth,” Penix’s mother Takisha said while sitting alongside Penix Sr. in the 2024 National Championship interview. Takisha was also an athlete. She was a track star at Tennessee Tech.

Takisha loves to see her son have fun doing what he does best: play football. “Oh he’s got this,” said his mom Takisha. “It seems like when he has fun, he does great things and he’s not worried about everything else,” Takisha had spoken with supreme confidence as she addressed the media during the most important weekend of Michael’s college career.

Takisha took the corporate route after college and currently serves as a project manager for an American security and defense contractor. Michael Penix Jr.’s mother takes immense pride in the way she has brought her children up, instilling the concepts of faith and family in her three kids.

The results of her great upbringing can be seen in Michael Penix Jr. Now part of the QB roster on the Falcons, Penix Jr. bought a truck for his parents recently. The Penixes have enjoyed the celebrity status, thanks to Penix Jr.s standout performances, but they have stuck to the principles of faith, family, and of course football.