Michael Penix Jr. is winning on and off the field. On Sunday he joined Tua Tagovailoa as the first pair of left-handed quarterbacks to start on the same day since 2012 when Michael Vick and Tim Tebow were making starts.
Penix and the Atlanta Falcons were victorious, keeping their playoff hopes alive in their race to win the NFC South.
On Saturday, the Falcons posted their congratulations to Penix and his fiancée, Olivia Carter, on their engagement. In the photo, Penix is holding what appears to be a large bouquet of roses while his new bride-to-be shows off the ring.
Who Is Michael Penix Jr.’s Fiancée Olivia Carter?
Carter graduated from Kent-Meridian High School in 2018 and later completed her bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada, majoring in biology. Her long-term goal when she joined the university was to become an anesthesiologist.
In high school, Carter played both basketball and soccer, later attending the University of Nevada to play soccer at forward and defense.
Congrats to @themikepenix and his fiancée on their engagement! 💍 pic.twitter.com/JTOD63h9MI
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 28, 2024
During her freshman year, Carter played for a total of 758 minutes, starting in 16 out of 19 of the games, including a match-winning goal against San José State, where she scored the lone goal that helped the team secure a 1-0 victory.
In her sophomore year, Carter played in 11 matches, starting in eight and playing 798 total minutes. In her junior year, she started six out of seven matches, totaling 417 minutes in a COVID-19-shortened season.
She played 16 games during her senior year and started in 11 of them while seeing a total of 1,028 minutes in playing time.
Penix’s now-fiancée finished college in 2022 and moved to Seattle, where she met the Falcons QB while he was attending the University of Washington and playing for the Huskies.
How Long Have Penix and Carter Been Together?
The couple never announced when they started dating; however, Carter shared their first official post together while celebrating Christmas in 2023 as they posed in matching nightwear.
Penix and Carter have been open about their relationship for a while and continue expressing love for each other on special occasions including the gigantic display that Penix put together to propose to Carter (the moment can be seen on Penix’s Instagram).
They walked into the 2024 NFL Draft hand in hand, and she styled a white dress that matched the former Washington and Indiana quarterback’s shirt and glasses. After the draft, the pair also went on a vacation to Jamaica before Penix started his work with the Atlanta Falcons.
Penix still has a lot to prove in the NFL after making his first career start in Week 16 against the New York Giants. The Falcons take on the Washington Commanders in Week 17, who are fighting for playoff seeding as they have technically not been eliminated from winning the NFC East.
Time will tell if the work Penix has put in will pay off or not after taking over after Kirk Cousins was benched by the Falcons, but Penix does have one area of his life secured with his engagement to Carter.