The Atlanta Falcons and Kirk Cousins have had quite the journey in their brief time together so far. Cousins joined the team, and shortly after, the Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft—something Cousins later admitted would have impacted his decision, as he revealed on Netflix’s Quarterback.
During the season, Cousins suffered a shoulder injury. Instead of rehabbing, he chose to play through it.
“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.”
Many questioned whether the Falcons had even properly evaluated Cousins' condition. It turns out the team legally couldn’t do so without his consent. More significantly, Atlanta reporter Joe Patrick believes Cousins never truly felt secure in his role.
“Teams are not allowed to demand a player be subjected to a medical evaluation/physical against his will,” Patrick wrote. “After selecting Penix, the Falcons made every effort otherwise to affirm Cousins as the true QB1. Obviously Kirk never felt real security or he probably would’ve been more honest about his injury.”
Cousins’ decision to play through the injury—rather than rehabilitate—ultimately hurt the Falcons on the field for several weeks. Had he sat out and healed properly, it’s possible Atlanta might have secured a playoff spot. In the end, it’s been a series of unfortunate events for Cousins since arriving in Atlanta.
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