Kirk Cousins Makes Surprise Injury Reveal Weeks Into Falcons' Offseason

At this time last year, the Atlanta Falcons were in pursuit of their franchise quarterback. Kirk Cousins was about to become a free agent and after an aggressive approach, the Falcons were able to sign the 36-year-old to a four-year, $180 million contract.

While the signing was supposed to be the final piece to a contender, it didn’t play out that way. Cousins struggled and the Falcons missed the playoffs, leading some to consider whether his torn Achilles was factoring into his poor play. As it turned out it was an injury that led to Cousins’s decline, but it’s not the one that fans were the most concerned about.

Kirk Cousins Believes Shoulder and Elbow Injuries Led To Falcons Decline

Cousins appeared on Good Morning Football on Tuesday, Cousins said that he was trying to get his Achilles injury and right ankle back to normal following his season-ending injury in 2023. However, it was a Week 10 hit against the New Orleans Saints that caused shoulder and ankle injuries that hampered him the rest of the season.

“I think there was a little bit of just trying to get my right ankle back around the Achilles…but the Achilles itself healed really well,” Cousins explained. “But then against the Saints, I 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 I just never really could get [the ball] to where I wanted it.”

Cousins played at a high level through the first nine games with the Falcons, throwing for 2,328 yards, 17 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 69.1 percent completion rate to lead Atlanta to a 6-3 record. But things unraveled quickly after the 20-17 loss to the Saints on Nov. 10.

In the next five games, Cousins threw for 1,180 yards but had just one touchdown to nine interceptions with a 62.6 percent completion rate before he was benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr. and spent the last three games as his backup.

The poor stretch not only cost the Cousins his job but may have ended his tenure with the Falcons. Atlanta reportedly will look to release him before a $10 million roster bonus is due on March 17. Cousins did not address the rumors directly but still insists he has a lot of good football to be played due to his accuracy and decision-making.