Kirk Cousins' Anti-Falcons Move Raises Eyebrows on Wednesday

The Atlanta Falcons have a lot of questions this offseason. But while they have one eye on the future, their biggest question is what to do with the present — quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Cousins was hailed as the Falcons’ franchise quarterback, signing a four-year, $180 million contract last offseason. But that partnership lasted just 14 games before the Falcons benched him for Michael Penix Jr. last December.

With his future in question, Cousins has already begun to vouch for a home in 2025 and a stunt in New Orleans on Wednesday may have made a statement about his time in Atlanta.

Kirk Cousins T-Shirt Stunt Sends A Message to the Falcons

Cousins competed in the P&G Battle of the Paddles on Wednesday night as part of the Super Bowl festivities in New Orleans. While Cousins was defeated in the finals of the ping-pong tournament by New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, his wardrobe garnered more attention.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter noted that Cousins began the event wearing a Falcons t-shirt. But later in the night, Cousins put a blank black t-shirt over the top, leading to plenty of speculation about the meaning of the gesture.

Perhaps the air conditioning in the venue was a little too strong and Cousins was trying to stay warm. Or maybe Cousins just wanted to get a good sweat or dressed in black to symbolize Maye’s fate as they squared off in the finals.

It’s more likely, though, that Cousins is thinking about his future. A December report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicated the Falcons are planning to trade or release Cousins before a $10 million roster bonus is due on March 17. But Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot also raised the possibility of Cousins returning as the backup quarterback last month.

While many fans would be cool with the idea of making $40 million to stand on the sidelines, Cousins doesn’t seem to have the same thought process. Earlier this week, Cousins mentioned that a Week 10 hit against the New Orleans Saints caused shoulder and elbow injuries that contributed to a late-season decline that led to his benching. Cousins also may still be miffed the Falcons didn’t tell him they were selecting Penix until they were on the clock with the eighth overall pick in last April's draft.

It’s a situation that is creating plenty of bad blood and trending toward a standoff between the two sides. As the March deadline approaches, there could be more quotes and comments that could add fuel to the fire and create an ugly breakup when a decision is made this spring.

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