Falcons fans still talk about that Thursday Night Football of the 2024 season like it was yesterday. In the Week 5 game, Kirk Cousins went off with 509 yards, five touchdowns, zero picks as Atlanta edged out Tampa Bay in a 36–30 thriller. It was vintage Cousins, maybe even the best we’ve ever seen him. For a moment, everything clicked. It made that $180 million deal seem worth every penny and had the fans convinced: peak Cousins isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

But for all the excitement that night delivered, that might’ve been the end of his peak. Just three weeks later, he tore his Achilles, and everything changed. Overnight. Now, with training camp in full swing and rookie Michael Penix Jr. taking first-team snaps, writer Bomani Jones asked a tough question. And Cousins supporters, you’d want to look away.

Bomani Jones didn’t hesitate. In a conversation with Mina Kimes, he expressed his feelings. “I think Cousins is finished. We’re already asking for a lot from him coming off an Achilles in the first place.” And even if you don’t agree, you can at least see where he is coming from.

Achilles injuries are no joke, especially for quarterbacks on the wrong side of 35. Get this: Only one QB over 35 has ever started 10+ games in a season after tearing an Achilles. Dan Marino back in 1994. Even Aaron Rodgers, who somehow got back to practice in under 80 days, still didn’t take another snap in 2023. Kirk Cousins isn’t Rodgers, and his game relies less on improvisation and more on timing and footwork. The two things that a severely affected by an Achilles tear.

Even before the injury, the signs were starting to show. After that monster Week 5 performance against Tampa Bay, his next two games gave the fans a reality check. His passer rating dipped to 72.6. It wasn’t just numbers, either. The fans could see it. He wasn’t moving as smoothly in the pocket, and some of those outside-the-numbers throws started to lose their zip.

Then comes the contract. $90 million guaranteed over two years. That’s carry-the-franchise money. The Falcons weren’t just hoping Cousins had one more good year in him; they were betting on a full-blown late-career renaissance. Even if the Achilles heals, can Cousins take the hits, handle the grind, and lead a playoff push in a tough NFC South at 36? That too, after the most brutal injury of his career. Probably not.

And early signs from Atlanta are not doing Cousins any favors. According to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein, he’s been limited during mobility drills and hasn’t taken a single full-speed 11-on-11 rep yet. That might not raise eyebrows if he were 25 and just working his way back. But he’s 36. Coming off an Achilles tear. And trying to hold off a top-10 rookie who is already making his case. A big one.

It might’ve been over for Kirk Cousins even before the Achilles

Here’s the part Falcons fans are finally starting to admit: this QB transition didn’t really start with Kirk’s Achilles tear; it started on draft night. When Atlanta took Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall, it wasn’t just a “best player available” pick. It was calculated. As Bomani put it, “I watched the games with Penix last year, and I guess I’m a little worried that he’s as old as he is and played as much quarterback as he has, but he looked to still be raw. But I still think they made the right move going for him.” When the Falcons were on the clock, nobody expected them to go QB.

They’d just paid Kirk Cousins a fortune. Defense or O-line made way more sense. But then… boom. Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8. And yeah, fans were split at first. But the more you looked at the numbers (4,903 yards, 36 TDs in 2023 at Washington), it made more sense. Penix showed polish, a powerful arm, and honestly, might’ve been the most NFL-ready guy not named Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.

Even with Cousins signed through 2026, the pick sent a message: Atlanta didn’t just want a backup—they wanted a future. And they wanted that future now. Penix has only turned up the heat since then. Coaches are giving him around 40% of the first-team reps — even though Cousins is medically cleared. They’re actively grooming this top-10 pick to take over.

And if you’re watching closely, the writing’s on the wall. OC Zac Robinson’s scheme is starting to tilt toward a QB with wheels. More RPOs. More bootlegs. The structure now incorporates more movement. That’s not exactly Cousins’s bread and butter. Especially post-Achilles. But for Penix, that’s his comfort zone. It was always meant to be.