National Football League

Ex-Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians: I 'love' Washington QB Michael Penix

Published Feb. 13, 2024 6:10 p.m. ET

Washington quarterback Michael Penix opened eyes this season, and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians is among those impressed souls.

"I think that says everything about the kid, how tough he is to overcome all that. Then to play like he did this year. Now, the medical experts, when you get to the combine, they’ll tug and pull and do all that stuff. You’ll get the medical grade. But as far as the football grade, I love him because he does things I love to do," Arians said about Penix to the Tampa Bay Times Monday.

"He puts it up the field. He’s as accurate on throws up the field as anyone I’ve seen in 15 years. Just to fight through that last game after he had that ankle tore up. But what he did to Texas was unbelievable."

Penix, who will be 24 at the start of the 2024 NFL season, spent the first four seasons of his collegiate career at Indiana. It was a tenure marred by devastating injuries, as Penix suffered two torn ACLs and had four eventual season-ending injuries. Penix then transferred to Washington after the 2021 season, reuniting with his 2019 offensive coordinator, Kalen DeBoer — the new head coach of the Huskies at the time.

The 6-foot-3 signal-caller blossomed in Seattle.

After finishing eighth in voting for the Heisman Trophy in 2022, Penix put together a 2023 campaign that saw him finish as the runner-up for the award. He totaled 4,903 passing yards, 36 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 157.1 passer rating, while completing 65.4% of his passes. Penix also rushed for three scores.

As for the game Arians alluded to, Penix threw for a remarkable 430 yards and two touchdowns in Washington's semifinal-round win over Texas in the College Football Playoff. While Washington went on to lose to Michigan in the College Football Playoff National Championship, Penix & Co. finished the season an impressive 14-1 overall (10-0 in Pac-12 play) and won the Pac-12 for the first time since 2018.

Penix is part of a highly regarded 2024 quarterback draft class, which includes the previous two Heisman Trophy winners (USC's Caleb Williams and LSU's Jayden Daniels), UNC's Drake Maye, Oregon's Bo Nix and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy.

How high will Michael Penix Jr. be taken in the 2024 NFL Draft?

The Buccaneers' 2024 quarterback may not be under contract, as Baker Mayfield — who threw for a career-high 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns this season — is set to hit the open market. Meanwhile, Penix is from Tampa Bay.

That said, Arians — who's now a senior advisor for the franchise — expressed that Mayfield "loves it" in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers won the NFC South and advanced to the divisional round with Mayfield under center this season.

Arians was Tampa Bay's head coach from 2019-21, headlined by winning Super Bowl LV.

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