Hugh Millen

Michael Penix Jr. steps into the Falcons huddle as the shiny new starter, but Hugh Millen's Falcons footprint—1,074 yards and 2 TDs over three gritty seasons—looms as the journeyman benchmark Penix aims to bulldoze. Millen walked on at Washington, became co-captain, then bounced from Atlanta to New England for his career-high 3,073 yards; Penix has the arm, but Millen's bootstrap hustle feels like a '90s relic in this pass-happy era.

Nah, Hugh Millen won't be strolling into Canton anytime soon—zero bust for the guy who slung 6,440 yards and 22 TDs across eight seasons with Atlanta, New England, and Denver. His 73.5 passer rating and 35 picks didn't scream Hall material, more like a solid backup who got his shots, kinda like those unsung Huskies heroes who peaked without the gold jacket glamour.

In 2026, Hugh Millen's still calling plays from the booth as a football analyst on KJR-AM radio and KCPQ TV in Seattle, dissecting Huskies games with that walk-on wisdom from his Don James days. No jet-setting exec life, just sharp takes on the Northwest airwaves—perfect for a guy who grinded 560-of-928 for 6,440 yards without ever becoming a household name.

Drop Millen in today's NFL, and those pass-friendly rules—no more mugging receivers, quicker drops—might juice his 60.3% completion and 6.9 yards per try into starter territory, especially with his Washington poise (2,657 college yards, 12 TDs). But 35 picks scream turnover prone; he'd be a Kyle Orton type, serviceable in shotgun, not torching defenses like Mahomes.

Matt Ryan owned Atlanta with a 42.23 rating over 14 Dirty Bird years, while Millen's Falcons stint limped to 7.26 amid 1,074 yards—think Ryan as the steady surgeon, Millen the emergency room scrubs guy who stabilized but never headlined. Both franchise QBs in spirit, but Ryan's MVP shine dwarfs Millen's journeyman flash across four teams.