The Atlanta Falcons veteran quarterback gave his honest opinion on the decision to select Michael Penix Jr. with the Falcons first round pick recently. He always expressed them in a manner full of passion and intelligence. In a sneak preview of his appearance on the new Netflix show “Quarterback,” Cousins shared an incredible tidbit. He added that had he known this is the direction the Falcons were headed, maybe he signs back with the Minnesota Vikings last year. This revelation adds a layer of complexity to Cousins’ career decisions and the dynamics within the Falcons’ roster.
After signing Cousins, the Falcons drafted Penix Jr. to hold the fort down while Cousins was recovering from his injury. That injury came in a Week 10 game against the New Orleans Saints. After leading the Falcons to a 6-3 start, Cousins took a hard hit to his right arm from Saints defensive end Payton Turner. He emphasized that he knew right away when he felt pain in his shoulder that something was off after that play. Cousins appeared on the injury report just once following the collision. Later on, he realized his injury was serious, much more serious than first thought.
Cousins disclosed that he found out about Penix’s draft selection in an interesting way — from a phone call with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. This started right as the Falcons were preparing to have their pick made. This lack of communication left him feeling “a little bit misled,” especially given his contributions to the team prior to his injury.
“Certainly, if I had the information around free agency, it certainly would’ve affected my decision,” – Kirk Cousins
Even when taking the most egregious hits, Cousins was unflappable. Even through an abysmal four-game stretch where he threw eight interceptions and no touchdown passes, the man never lost his cool. He understood the difficulty of commuting to a workplace when times are especially dark. He did emphasize that that’s not the way to be an adult and handle something when called out.
“It hurts to go into work, but you got to be an adult,” – Kirk Cousins
The Falcons eventually benched Cousins in Week 16 because of how badly his play had regressed. This decision proved to be the catalyst for Pennix Jr’s emergence. While Penix played solidly, he could not lead the team to victory consistently, resulting in a 1-2 record and missing the playoffs. General Manager Terry Fontenot has essentially vowed on the record that Cousins is a significant upgrade over Penix. This further indicates that the team believes he is a core piece of their long-term plans.
Cousins remains on the Falcons’ roster as they continue advancing towards training camp. He’s PO’d that the team made him take his $10 million bonus back in March. He’ll still make $27.5 million this season, even if he ruptures his Achilles tomorrow. This tremendous contract places him in a powerful position within the organization.
As Cousins looks back on his tenure with Atlanta, he understands how difficult of a league the NFL is. He understands that a player can find themselves out of a job in an instant if they aren’t prudent.
“You also know that if you sit down Week 10 and take two or three weeks or more to let it heal, you may never get your job back,” – Kirk Cousins
Moving forward, Cousins’ still has a lot at stake as he continues to forge out his place with a franchise that continues to flip the script. Though he’s publicly aired his grievances about lack of communication surrounding the draft, he knows how the professional football world works. The Falcons could be receptive to the right trade offers coming in for Cousins and if so, they will likely do so. Specifically, they’re looking for any team willing to absorb some of his guaranteed salary.
As training camp nears, all attention will be on Cousins. Will he settle into his new role after falling out of favor and re-earn a starting job in 2023, or will he further aid the growth of Penix Jr.’s quarterbacking skills?
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