Kirk Cousins' 2024 season in Atlanta didn’t go anything like he planned. According to Pro Football Talk, Cousins departed Minnesota because they didn’t want to commit long term to him like Atlanta did. They were going to go year-to-year with Cousins, while Atlanta was ready to throw a four-year contract at him.
But that was fools gold, as the Falcons had already turned to the future before the ink was dry on Cousin’s contract. The Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. and seemingly put pressure on Cousins to be immediately impactful fresh off an Achilles injury. After a 6-2 start, he went on a torrid run that got him benched before the season was over. Now his future in Atlanta is less optimistic.
Maybe Cousins would have been better off staying in Minnesota. After all, he’s at the point in his career where it’s more acceptable to do year-to-year contracts. That probably would have been better for him. Clearly his frustration in Atlanta isn’t about the money. He wanted the chance to play and be a full-time starter. That seems less likely with the Falcons now.
Kirk Cousins feeling misled by Falcons is basically an admission he should've stayed with Vikings
Cousins added in the Pro Football Talk article that he felt misled when the Falcons drafted Penix. But he should have seen this coming. The Green Bay Packers did it with Aaron Rodgers when they drafted Jordan Love instead of getting him receiver help. This is what happens with aging quarterbacks.
He should have known this was always a possibility. Cousins put too much faith into an organization that has no reason to be loyal to him. If Minnesota wasn’t going to believe in Cousins after all he did with the Vikings – though he never won a playoff game – why did he think Atlanta would?
If you look at Atlanta’s position, this last draft wasn’t that deep and this upcoming draft isn’t too optimistic either with quarterback prospects, so the 2024 NFL Draft was the best chance to get a future quarterback. I’m sure Cousins didn’t think about it like that, but that’s the reality.
The way the 2024 season ended for Cousins is proof the Falcons made the right decision. Penix showed he can be serviceable in this offense. Cousins said adjusting to a new offense also contributed to his struggles. Regardless of what the circumstances were, Cousins left Minnesota thinking his job was secure.
That was the problem all along and now he’s probably regretting staying in the comfortable position rather than jumping ship. Now, neither team needs him.