Michael Penix Jr. opts out of Senior Bowl game, per report
Michael Penix Jr., Washington’s star quarterback and the 2023 Heisman runner-up, will not participate in Saturday’s Senior Bowl game.
After a week of practice in Mobile, Alabama, the former UW passer has decided not to play in the game, according to a report from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Penix is one of a number of players on the National team who have decided to skip the game, leaving the roster “gutted,” according to Florio.
The Senior Bowl’s executive director shared on Saturday morning that a defensive lineman is switching from the American team to the National team for the game because of “roster attrition.” Nagy added it’s the first time in the 75-year history of the all-star showcase that a player has switched teams on game day.
According to Florio, Oregon’s Bo Nix will also only play a couple of series. That will leave Notre Dame’s Sam Hartman to handle the bulk of the snaps for the team.
Penix was named quarterback of the week for the National squad after his week of practice. He’s looking to break into the first round of this year’s NFL Draft.
Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are the presumptive top picks. LSU’s Jayden Daniels has seen his stock surge since capturing the Heisman Trophy. Nix and Michigan’s JJ McCarthy are also being talked about as mid-to-late first-round selections.
Penix’s decision to skip the Senior Bowl game could be an indication he has received some sort of communication from a team that wants to take him early. It could also be risk management, as Penix’s four years of injury concerns at Indiana will factor heavily into his evaluation.
Whatever the reason, Saturday’s Senior Bowl (1 ET on NFL Network) will now see the attention shift to Tennessee’s Joe Milton III, South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, and Hartman at quarterback.