Falcons' Raheem Morris defends Michael Penix Jr. following viral comments: 'I just feel bad for the kid'

Raheem Morris came under fire this week when comments from Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. were misinterpreted to make people think the young quarterback wasn't getting any support from the coaching staff. On Friday, Morris fired back at those online who pulled Penix's answer out of context.

On Wednesday, Penix was asked about his mental and physical support systems. Penix cited his fiancé as the person he leans on mentally and emotionally, and he pointed to coaches back home for assisting him physically with tips on things like throwing mechanics.

Some on social media clipped captioned video of the answer to make it seem as though Penix was implying he gets no help in Atlanta. In a charged response, Morris called the whole situation a "joke" and accused people of pulling things out of thin air.

"Stop looking for stuff on a young man," Morris said, per ESPN. "You don't need this stuff on him. It is what it is. But all of those things people do, it doesn't matter to affect this building.

"I just feel bad for the kid. I don't want the kid having to deal with stuff that doesn't matter or stuff that's not real. ... Let his problems be his problems, like third downs. Let's fix those. Don't make up [a thing] that doesn't exist."

In his full answer on Wednesday, Penix doesn't say anything that reflects poorly on the Falcons coaching staff. He was simply pointing to people outside the facility who lend support.

"Mentally, my fiancé is always there for me," Penix said. "I know, whenever I get home, she's gonna be there for me. No matter how I played, she's always gonna be there for me. She's gonna have a smile on her face. She's gonna give me a hug and make me feel good no matter what.

"As far as physically, like on the field stuff, there's nobody I talk to as far as another quarterback or anything like that. I do have quarterback coaches from back home that reach out to me like, 'Hey, you need to clean this up or clean that up, and everything will be good.' Those guys help me as far as that too. Shoutout to them."

The Falcons are currently riding a four-game losing streak, and that has put both Penix and Morris under a microscope. Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has completed 58.8% of his passes for 1,807 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions.

Now 3-6 on the season, Atlanta occupies third place in the NFC South, and it desperately needs a divisional win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.