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He also has experience at the international level in serving as assistant GM of Finland’s national team at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where the nation won a bronze medal, and 2016 World Cup of Hockey.FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — As Michael Penix Jr. is entering his first full season as the Atlanta Falcons’ starting quarterback, he is learning what it takes to be a leader in the NFL.

Penix got some experience as a team leader on Tuesday when the Falcons held their first organized team activities.The Falcons began Phase 3 of the offseason by getting out on the field and doing individual drills and a few noncontact team periods.“I’m excited,” Penix said after two hours of voluntary outdoor practice. “We get to be out there against the defense and work real football. I can’t wait for this season.”

Penix, who was drafted eighth overall by Atlanta in 2024, started the Falcons’ final three regular-season games and completed 58 of 100 passes for 737 yards with three touchdown passes and three interceptions in those starts. Kirk Cousins led the Falcons to a 6-3 start last season but lost his job after struggling with interceptions.Penix described his growth over his first full offseason knowing he is the starting quarterback.

“The one that I want to point (to) is just connecting with the guys,” Penix said. “I feel like I’ve done a lot better with connecting with everybody around the team. Not just offensive guys but defensive guys as well. Whether that’s just around the facility eating lunch or going out and playing golf with some of them. Don’t ask about my golf game.”

Second-year Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said Penix is “finding his voice” as a leader.Kedian was diagnosed with a rare laryngeal cartilage cancer about a decade ago. The Haverhill, Massachusetts, man underwent more than a dozen surgeries, eventually needing a trach tube to help him breathe and swallow — and struggled even to muster a raspy whisper through it. He had to retire on disability.

Still the once gregarious Kedian, known for long conversations with strangers, wouldn’t let doctors remove his entire larynx to cure the cancer. He desperately wanted to read bedtime stories to his granddaughter, with his own voice rather than what he called robotic-sounding speech devices.Then Kedian’s wife Gina tracked down the Mayo study. Lott decided he was a good candidate because his cancer wasn’t fast-growing and -- especially important -- Kedian already was taking antirejection drugs for an earlier kidney transplant.

It took 10 months to find a deceased donor with a healthy enough larynx just the right size.Then on Feb. 29, six surgeons operated for 21 hours. After removing Kedian’s cancerous larynx, they transplanted the donated one plus necessary adjoining tissues – thyroid and parathyroid glands, the pharynx and upper part of the trachea – and tiny blood vessels to supply them. Finally, using new microsurgical techniques, they connected nerves critical for Kedian to feel when he needs to swallow and to move the vocal cords.