One of the biggest narrative threads lingering over the Atlanta Falcons since last offseason has been the complicated relationship between the team and quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Cousins was expected to be the new face of the franchise after signing a four-year, $180 million deal in free agency. But just weeks later, the Falcons made a shocking move by selecting Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — a decision that quickly cast a shadow over Cousins’ future in Atlanta.
“Was pretty surprised when the draft happened, wasn’t expecting us to take a quarterback so high,” Cousins said on Netflix’s Quarterback (via The Athletic). “At the time, it felt like I had been a little bit misled or certainly if I had had the information around free agency, it would have affected my decision. I had no reason to leave Minnesota, as much as we loved it there, if both teams were drafting a quarterback high.”
Minnesota went on to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy two picks later at No. 10, though he never played a snap last season after suffering a season-ending knee injury.
For Cousins, the turning point in 2024 came in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints. A sack by Payton Turner left Cousins with elbow and shoulder injuries — damage he did everything he could to hide, but his performance told the story. Over his final five appearances, beginning with that Saints game, Cousins threw nine interceptions to just one touchdown, and the Falcons fell into a four-game losing streak.
“Immediately, my elbow lit up, and I knew I had irritated something,” Cousins recalled. “Had a shooting pain through the inside of my elbow. My shoulder started to really throb, so I knew right away, OK this is a little more serious. Once I lost my shoulder and elbow, I didn’t have many more things to lean on to get the power I needed. It’s hard looking back to not view it as things certainly turned in that moment — because in a way, they did.”
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Cousins admitted in the Netflix documentary that he feared losing his job if he sat out — a fear likely amplified by Penix waiting in the wings.
“Should I have sat out? Should I have done something different in my rehab? You know, you have all those questions,” Cousins said. “With the information I had at the time, I made the best decision, but you also know if you sit down Week 10 and take two or three weeks to let it heal, you may never get your job back. I remember reading Drew Brees’ book back in 2010, how he made the point that he tried to never let his backup see the field, even if the guy was no threat. He just felt like you should never do that. That was something I always was aware of.”
Cousins’ comments confirm much of what many around the league suspected — he felt blindsided by the draft and threatened by the presence of Penix. It’s also a sobering reminder of how cutthroat the NFL remains, where even a former Pro Bowler with a $180 million contract knows he's always one hit away from being replaced.