The Atlanta Falcons made one of the most puzzling decisions in recent NFL history last offseason. After signing veteran Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal as he recovered from a torn Achilles from the previous year, they also drafted a quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
At the time, the decision was met with raised eyebrows from fans and media alike. But as it turns out, a similar fate was unfolding in Atlanta’s locker room as well. One name in particular, who was somewhat surprised by the way things were developing, was the man who had gotten the contract himself.
Was Kirk Cousins Kept In the Dark About Atlanta Falcons’ Plans?
A four-time Pro Bowler and one-time NFL leader in completion percentage, Cousins was expected to start a new chapter in his career with the Falcons after the Minnesota Vikings were only willing to bring him on a “year-to-year” basis.
However, their decision to add Penix in the first round was a shock to Cousins as well. In the first episode of the new season of Netflix’s Quarterback — which features him alongside Joe Burrow and Jared Goff — he shared a candid reaction to the move.
“I wasn’t expecting us to take a quarterback,” Cousins said. “At the time, it felt like I’d been a little bit misled — or certainly if I had the information around free agency, it certainly would have affected my decision.”
#Falcons QB Kirk Cousins revealed on Netflix’s “Quarterback” that he felt misled by the organization when they drafted Michael Penix Jr. last year:
“Certainly, if I had that information around free agency, it would’ve affected my decision. I had no reason to leave Minnesota,… pic.twitter.com/ymKWXWFViH
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 8, 2025
Then came the truth bomb, where he admitted, “I had no reason to leave Minnesota with how much we loved it there if both teams are gonna be drafting a quarterback high.” Unfortunately, it’s too late for Cousins now, as he enters the 2025 season firmly in the backup role.
But it is hard to fault Atlanta after they gave the veteran a shot at being the starter. Unfortunately, coming off an Achilles and learning a new system, he wasn’t the same player. With inconsistencies plaguing his performance the entire season, things had to come to a head.
That arrived in the form of one of the worst four-week stretches for any quarterback last season. In the five games before his benching, Cousins threw just one touchdown to nine interceptions.
READ MORE: NFL Insider Predicts Kirk Cousins’ Team For the 2025 Season, and It May Surprise You
In Week 16, the Falcons handed their rookie the keys to the offense. So far, there is a belief that the team will find a trade partner to move on from Cousins, but his massive contract and no-trade clause complicate matters.
Who knows? If the J.J. McCarthy experiment doesn’t work out, Kevin O’Connell could go looking for a familiar name to man the QB spot in Minnesota.
