After a late-season demotion in Atlanta, Kirk Cousins' future with the Falcons remains in question. The veteran quarterback was replaced in Week 16 of the 2024 season by rookie Michael Penix Jr., who made a strong impression and solidified his status as Atlanta’s quarterback moving forward.
At 36 years old and recovering from a significant Achilles injury, Cousins faces the possibility of entering the 2025 season as a backup for the first time in over a decade. Speaking on GMFB: Overtime, the seasoned quarterback expressed his desire to continue playing, whether with Atlanta or another team.
"I definitely feel like I have a lot of good football left in me," Cousins said. "Time will tell. 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. I gotta get healthy. I'm no good to the Falcons, I'm no good to a team if I'm not feeling really good. That’s where my focus has been through January and February."
A Tough 2024 Season for Cousins
Cousins' 2024 campaign was a challenging one. He missed half of the 2023 season due to a torn right Achilles and later signed a four-year, $180 million contract with Atlanta, intending to be the team’s franchise quarterback. However, just a month later, Falcons GM Terry Fontenot selected Penix in the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft, casting uncertainty over Cousins’ long-term role with the team.
Despite remaining the starter for most of the season, Cousins struggled with mobility and accuracy, particularly down the stretch. In a five-game span late in the season, he threw just one touchdown against nine interceptions, leading to his eventual benching in favor of Penix.
Lingering Injuries Played a Role
Reflecting on his performance, Cousins acknowledged that lingering effects from his Achilles injury, along with additional injuries suffered in 2024, may have affected his play.
"I think the Achilles healed well," Cousins shared. "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. Even then, we were 6-3, was playing well, doing a lot of good things, even if the right ankle wasn’t perfect. Nobody’s perfect in this league. We’re never feeling 100 percent. So it didn’t really affect me too much, but then against the Saints [in Week 10], I got hit pretty good in my right shoulder and elbow. From there, kinda dealing with that, it was something I was working through. Just never could get it really to where I wanted it."
Now that the season is over, Cousins is focused on rehabilitation. "Now that the season’s over, you have the time and the energy to say, OK, let’s get the right ankle back, let’s get the shoulder back, let’s get the elbow back, and if we can do that, [I] feel like I got a new life ahead of me in pro football."
What’s Next for Cousins?
With Penix entrenched as the Falcons' starter, Cousins’ future is uncertain. The quarterback still has three years remaining on his contract with Atlanta and carries a $40 million cap hit for 2025. His $27.5 million guaranteed salary for next season complicates potential trade options, as Atlanta would only save $2.5 million by dealing him before June 1. A trade after June 1 would still leave the team with $12.5 million in dead money.
Another option for the Falcons is releasing Cousins before the fifth day of the 2025 league year, when he is due a $10 million signing bonus for the 2026 season. According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Cousins being released remains the most likely scenario.
Will Cousins Land Another Starting Role?
If released, Cousins will have an opportunity to seek a new team, but whether he can secure a starting role elsewhere remains to be seen. For now, his focus is on getting back to full health and preparing for the next chapter of his NFL career.