FEBRUARY 10: Cousins and the Falcons have not been in communication since the season ended, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. The team could ask Cousins to waive his no-trade clause if a parting ways were to be preferred, although the Michigan State product could request to be released and thus find his next team via free agency. A decision will need to be made by mid-March, and the report notes Atlanta may use most of the time between now and then to make a commitment one way or the other.
FEBRUARY 4: Kirk Cousins came to Atlanta amidst considerable fanfare and expectation last offseason, but his tenure is likely to come to an end soon. The Pro Bowl quarterback faces the prospect of being released by the Falcons shortly, something he addressed along with his health situation. 
During an appearance on Good Morning Football: Overtime, Cousins spoke about his uncertain future (video link). The 36-year-old was benched in favor of first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr. late in the year, and the latter is in position to remain atop the depth chart moving forward. As a result, it was reported in December the Falcons are expected to release Cousins this offseason.
“I definitely feel like I have a lot of good football left in me,” the former Viking said when asked about his outlook for 2025 and beyond. “It’s still kind of uncertain. We’ll get to March and know a lot more. But I think the focus for me really is getting healthy. That’s really my focus is I gotta get healthy.”
On that point, Cousins detailed that his Achilles – which ruptured midway through the 2023 campaign – healed well and did not cause a major problem during his debut Falcons season. After a Week 10 hit which injured his right shoulder and elbow, however, he said his efforts to work through the ailment played a role in his regression. Cousins’ last stretch of starts before being benched saw his production drop off considerably with turnovers becoming an issue.
While a release would be understandable given Penix’s presence for the long term, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot indicated last month the team would be willing to keep Cousins in the fold as a (rather expensive) backup. The latter’s $27.5MM base salary for next season is guaranteed in full, and a $10MM roster bonus for 2026 will vest early in the new league year if he remains in Atlanta. Given the compensation he is owed, a trade allowing Cousins a fresh start would come as a surprise.
For now, it remains to be seen how Atlanta will proceed on the Cousins front. Even if he finds himself a free agent once again in the near future, though, retirement will not be considered based on his comments.
Kerry Cousins
And just like that….the Penix pick was pure genius!
Yeah it’s almost like they knew what hedging your bets mean…Funny it’s crickets now from the thousands of naysayers we heard from last year huh? I admittedly was not a fan of the timing of the pick but I also wasn’t screaming the ‘sky is falling and the Falcons are idiots’ either smh.
They could have drafted Penix and not signed Cousins. They are idiots still. So now they will pay Cousins $50 million to play for someone else. Real smart.
If teams knew they didn’t have a qb entering the draft other qb needy teams would have traded up to get him or considered as much. You have no guarantee he would’ve been on the board still if the falcons had no qb and the whole league knew they were drafting qb. Pretty simple
BS. Anyone with a brain in their head knew Penix would be there at 8. But the Falcons are run by a clown show.
I loved the pick immediately. Falcons played 3D chess and it paid off immensely
It was the fact they paid Cousins all that fully guaranteed money.
If the plan was to draft Penix, you make it clear Cousins is a bridge QB.
Sure. A $65 million dead cap hit is pure genius. LOL
Shhh
I’m guessing that’s Terry Fontenot’s burner account. Or perhaps Rich McKay.
Pure genius that they have to pay a quarterback tons of money and hurt their cap so he can play for another team? We have different opinions on the definition of genius.
“After a Week 10 hit which injured his right shoulder and elbow, however, he said his efforts to work through the ailment played a role in his regression.”
Was this disclosed on the practice or injury reports during those weeks?
I don’t think so
I don’t either and I review them each week. That’s awful.
Agreed. But even if he was on the injury report, we wouldn’t know the extent of the injury. TB12 was listed with an elbow for most of his last year. That’s one of the problems with the report.
Some listing is better than nothing.
It’s time for teams hiding injuries to get hammered by the league. Like losing 1st round picks. With the amount of gambling going on it’s not good business to give insiders the edge in betting.
If they release him I think Seattle should sign him. It will be league minimum so not a big deal. If he can make a comeback it would be great. If he still sucks Geno can start. Geno could be a problem this year. If he doesn’t get the extension he wants he could.be a pouter. Trade him to the Raiders Pete would love him. I hope they don’t extend him he is not the guy to lead a team to the playoffs and is a poor team leader. He is a placeholder and that is it.
I disagree. Colts seem like a better bet than Seattle and would allow Indianapolis to move beyond the failed Joe Flacco experiment as they try to find a fit behind (or in front of) Anthony Richardson. Colts have some salary flexibility too.
Bettors need to hold on to their betting tickets because if injuries arent properly reported or hidden, they can try to prove it and get their bet money back, if not file a lawsuit. It will happen soon enough.
The cost of a shyster lawyer to manage the lawsuit will far exceed the amount of any bets that were placed and with all the court appeals you will probably be older than Virginia McCaskey before any settlement is reached 🙂
Class action lawsuit. Winning plaintiffs attorneys get their fees paid by the loser.