Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Raheem Morris acknowledged Monday that quarterback Michael Penix Jr. struggled in Sunday’s game, but expressed strong confidence in the rookie’s ability to rebound.
Morris described Penix as “off” during his weekly press conference,stating,”He was off. I don’t want to take away the fact that he did not play well.” The coach noted Penix was visibly disappointed with his performance, adding, “Yesterday, he was definitely not his normal, happy, competitive self. Got a little down on himself, got a little upset.” This comes after Penix completed 58.6 percent of his passes for 605 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions through the season’s first three games.
The Seahawks are navigating Penix’s early NFL experience, recognizing the pressure on a young quarterback. Morris emphasized the team will support Penix in regaining his composure and focus, while also highlighting the quarterback’s self-accountability.”He heals himself, he has high standards for himself,” Morris said. “He has a ‘C’ on his chest for a reason…But that’s a lot of stress on a young quarterback, and we can help him do some of those things.”
Morris indicated he was encouraged by Penix’s response to the setback. “I’m actually more encouraged with Michael penix’s behavior today and his movement today for this franchise and for our team than ever,” he stated. “I can’t wait until Wednesday.” He added, “Confidence is high. Confidence is very high with this man.He’s our guy.” Morris also pointed out this was the first poor performance he’d observed from Penix, having previously only seen him struggle in practice.
