Ever since Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons last March, it has been anything but smooth sailing. He inked a four-year, $180 million deal, thinking he was going to be the starter for the Falcons for the next couple of years, but that isn't the case.
Michael Penix Jr. is the starter for Atlanta, and Cousins publicly discussed Atlanta selecting Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick for the first time in an episode of "Quarterback" on Netflix.
Cousins said, "Certainly, if I had the information around free agency, it certainly would've affected my decision. I had no reason to leave Minnesota with how much we loved it there if both teams are going to be drafting a quarterback high. But I've also learned in 12 years in this league that you're not entitled to anything. It's all about being able to earn your spot and prove yourself."
Kirk Cousins felt 'misled' after #Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. https://t.co/Xi07emR8VA
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) July 8, 2025
Kirk Cousins Believes He Was Misled by Falcons
Cousins started in 14 games for the Falcons in 2024 but struggled immensely in his last five starts, logging a 1-9 TD-to-interception ratio. That led to Penix Jr. taking over and Cousins getting put on the bench.
It is interesting that the Falcons paid Cousins, though, and decided to select Penix Jr., but you can't blame them. Cousins was 35 years old, coming off a torn Achilles. Meanwhile, Penix Jr. was 24 years old and had the traits to be their next franchise QB. Snagging him in the first round gave them five years of control on a rookie deal.
Even though Atlanta gave Cousins that huge deal, Atlanta was thinking about their future, and Cousins could have been considered a stopgap to allow Penix Jr. to grow. Ultimately, the Michigan State product's play was lackluster, and they handed over the reins to the young signal caller.
The assumption around the league was that Atlanta would release Cousins this offseason, but the Falcons believe he's more valuable as a backup than anywhere else around the league.
It's a tough pill to swallow for Cousins but he's sucking it up. He stated, "It hurts to go into work, but you got to be an adult. You've got to be a grown man and handle it with maturity. I feel sorry for myself and it's hard to do, but that's what you got to do. And so that's kind of where my focus went."
Despite how he feels, it's pretty clear he'll be around for the 2025 season as QB2 for the Falcons.