Kirk Cousins' first season with the Atlanta Falcons couldn't have gone much worse.
He was benched after 14 weeks. Despite not playing a full season, he led the NFL in both interceptions (16) and fumbles (13). The 36-year-old, coming off a career-altering Achilles injury, looked like a shell of himself. Never has Cousins been so stiff and immobile in the pocket.
It's unclear how exactly the Falcons will move forward. GM Terry Fontenot has said the plan is to keep Cousins as Michael Penix Jr.'s backup. That feels like something Cousins would personally oppose. The Falcons' QB was not-so-secretly displeased with the decision to bench him, even if he remained professional in the locker room.
In a recent media spot before the Super Bowl, Cousins added a new layer of complexity to the discourse around his Atlanta flameout. He claims he hurt his shoulder in Week 10 and never fully recovered. In four starts after Week 10, Cousins threw nine interceptions and only one touchdown.
"I, against the Saints [in Week 10], got hit pretty good in my right shoulder and elbow, and from there, kind of dealing with that was something I was working through and just never really could get it to where I wanted it," Cousins said on Good Morning Football (h/t Falcoholic).
That seems... notable! And it sure sounds like the Falcons' front office was not kept in the loop.
The Falcons were surprised by Kirk Cousins injury comments Super Bowl week and had no indication he was dealing with anything from Week 11 on, GM Terry Fontenot said this week. Fontenot declined to say what conversations have happened with Cousins since.
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) February 25, 2025
Kirk Cousins' injury claim comes as complete shock to Falcons brass
Pretty rough optics all around!
Neither side comes out of this exchange looking great. If Cousins was hurt, why wouldn't he tell the Falcons' staff and get the proper treatment? From the Falcons' perspective, how do you not know your $180 million quarterback is operating at less than 100 percent?
There seems to be only one logical explanation to this debacle: Michael Penix.
The Falcons shocked Cousins and the broader NFL fanbase with their decision to draft Penix eighth overall in the 2024 draft. How often does a team dish out $180 million to a quarterback and then immediately line up his replacement?
There was some logic to the move for those with eyes to squint. Cousins is 36 and only two years of his contract were guaranteed. Atlanta was convinced Penix is a future star, and saw this as a chance to develop that future star behind an established veteran. Penix, in theory, would get a couple years of experience in the Falcons' scheme before taking the reins.
Instead, Penix was thrust into the spotlight after 14 games. He looked solid; he was definitely better than the version of Kirk Cousins we saw after this mysterious Week 10 injury. But, the Falcons clearly hoped to get two full, productive years out of Cousins before making the swap. The only reason Cousins would feel the need to act in such a covert manner is because he felt his job security was at risk. If Cousins sat for a couple weeks to rest his shoulder and Penix popped off, we'd be in the very same position right now — with folks clamoring for Penix and ready to toss Cousins by the wayside.
If Penix develops into a franchise quarterback and leads Atlanta to the postseason for the next decade, this situation will blow over and the decision to draft him will be remembered fondly. If Penix never really hits, then folks will question Atlanta's allocation of resources. Especially if Cousins leaves and finds new life in a new offense.
The Falcons can only save $10 million by cutting Cousins. If Atlanta trades him, it would still need to absorb the majority of his contract. That's why there is a real chance Cousins does, in fact, back up Penix next season. As Fontenot more or less frames it, that money is on the books regardless — might as well get something out of it.
"We understand that it's not ideal to have a quarterback at that cap number," Fontenot told ESPN. "Now, when we gave him that contract, the expectation was for him to be the starter at this point. And so that is a good number for a starting quarterback. But now that he's the backup, when we say we're comfortable, we're talking about the total funds allocated to the quarterback position, and that's already baked in."
Obviously, the Falcons wish Cousins' money could vanish into the night. As things sit, though, Cousins has zero leverage and the Falcons will need a solid backup behind Penix. What if Penix is sidelined and Cousins gets his moment in the sun next season? That could be a nice redemption arc.