Falcons Face Costly Decision: Kirk Cousins' $100M Deal May End After One Season
Falcons Face Costly Decision: Kirk Cousins' $100M Deal May End After One Season.
The Atlanta Falcons have had their fair share of strange moments in their history. The most infamous has to be blowing a 28-3 lead to the New England Patriots and losing in overtime during Super Bowl LI. But that season also saw them lose a game due to a pick-two—an interception returned on a two-point conversion.
They even lost another match after accidentally scoring a touchdown in the last minute and had a bizarre game in London that ended with a delay of game before a missed field goal, giving their opponent another shot at the game-winner.
While those incidents were definitely wild, nothing tops the Falcons signing quarterback Kirk Cousins to a massive four-year, $180 million deal last offseason and then drafting Michael Penix Jr.—a 24-year-old rookie quarterback—with the eighth overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Cousins and his team were left scratching their heads. Why invest so much in a player only to draft his successor right away? We might never get a clear answer, but after the Falcons benched Cousins for Penix, this could turn out to be a REALLY expensive mistake.
$100 Million Down the Drain.
Kirk's got a hefty $180 million, four-year deal, with $100 million guaranteed. So, why let him go and waste that $100 million? Why not just keep him as the priciest backup QB in NFL history? Well, the way the contract is set up, the Falcons can dodge a $10 million roster bonus if Cousins isn’t on the team by March 17, 2025.
Ideally, the Falcons would trade Cousins to another team and shift some of that $100 million off their books. But which team would want to take on that expense right now?
More likely, he’ll just sit on the bench for the rest of the season. Unless Penix gets hurt, it seems Cousins won’t be playing in a Falcons jersey again, and they’ll probably cut him before that March deadline.
If that happens, the Falcons will have shelled out around $100 million for just 14 games from Cousins. In those games, he racked up 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions, plus six fumbles.
On top of that, the Falcons are still in the playoff race. Cousins has been struggling lately—just one touchdown and nine interceptions in his last five games, four of which were losses—so the team thinks Penix is a better bet for the final stretch.
If Cousins ends up with another team next season, the Falcons will still be on the hook for most of his salary. Maybe Penix will turn out to be the answer at quarterback, and one day the team can look back at this mess and chuckle.
For now, it’s just another tough break for a franchise that’s seen its fair share of them.
Despite the current challenges, the Atlanta Falcons still have the potential to turn things around. With Michael Penix Jr. stepping up as the new quarterback, the team could find stability and long-term success under his leadership. While Kirk Cousins’ contract situation is unfortunate, the Falcons have an opportunity to rebuild and focus on the future.
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Penix's performance in the coming games could prove to be the turning point for the franchise. With the right adjustments and growth, the Falcons can emerge stronger, making this season a stepping stone towards a brighter and more successful future.
