On this episode of Buck’s Beat, Buck Belue breaks down the Atlanta Falcons hiring Kevin Stefanski as head coach and bringing in Tommy Rees as offensive coordinator — and what it all means for franchise quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Falcons President of Football Matt Ryan has been aggressive this offseason, locking in Stefanski, retaining Jeff Ulbrich on defense, and reshaping the organization’s leadership. But Buck doesn’t sugarcoat the concerns: Stefanski’s recent record, his long list of quarterbacks in Cleveland, and the PR challenge Falcons fans are wrestling with after eight straight losing seasons. The focus then turns to the most important piece of the puzzle — Michael Penix Jr. Buck dives into Penix’s early NFL tape, advanced metrics, pocket presence, and overall skill set, explaining why he believes Penix can become a top-10 quarterback in the league. He also breaks down Stefanski’s Kubiak-Shanahan West Coast system, heavy play-action concepts, under-center usage, and why this offense could be a strong schematic fit for Atlanta’s offensive talent. After doing the homework, Buck explains why he’s feeling better about the hire — not because of blind faith, but because the system finally matches the quarterback. 📻 Listen to Buck Belue on 680 The Fan weekdays from 6–8am and Saturdays from 9am–12pm. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Buck’s Beat 00:08 Falcons Hire Kevin Stefanski 00:20 Tommy Rees Named Offensive Coordinator 00:29 Matt Ryan’s Busy Offseason 00:52 Buck’s Initial Concerns With the Hire 01:14 Eight Straight Losing Seasons in Atlanta 01:22 Stefanski’s Browns Record & PR Challenge 01:40 The Quarterback Turnover Red Flag 02:18 Michael Penix Jr. Takes Center Stage 02:34 Commitment to the Franchise QB 03:16 Why Buck Believes in Penix 03:32 Breaking Down Penix’s Skill Set 04:47 Penix’s NFL Sample Size & Early Success 05:24 Penix’s Metrics, QBR & Pocket Presence 06:30 Why Buck Trusts His QB Evaluation 07:03 How Penix Fits Stefanski’s Offense 07:22 Kubiak-Shanahan System Explained 07:52 Under Center, Play Action & Easy Reads 08:21 Shotgun, RPOs & Personnel Usage 08:44 Falcons’ Offensive Talent Investment 09:23 Priority No. 1: Build Around Penix 09:54 Final Thoughts on the Stefanski Hire 10:28 Closing & What’s Next on Buck’s Beat