“I’m still on a quest to try to figure out how do I fulfill my potential as a player and a person while not driving myself crazy with the standard I’m asking,” Kirk Cousins didn’t hold back on Netflix’s Quarterback season 1. “It can be a miserable place to live because you’re never going to be perfect, and when you set that as your standard, you kind of set yourself up for failure.” That line hit hard back in 2023. He was 34 then. Beaten up, both mentally and physically. The guy took more hits than anyone in 2022 – Von Miller, Daron Payne, Matt Judon – all took turns trying to fold his ribcage. And he played through it all. Cold tubs. Brain training. Chiropractors at home. Tape study in the car. Cousins didn’t just want a Super Bowl…he wanted it before 35.

In his Michigan beach house, there’s a ‘memory room.’ Every football phase of his life gets a place on the wall. But one shelf sits empty – reserved for a Lombardi Trophy. Season 1 showed Cousins losing in the playoffs to the Giants, reading a book to his son in bed, still trying to be the leader, the dad, the quarterback. He whispers, “It doesn’t feel like it should be over.” But now? It kind of is.

“If I had that information around free agency, it would’ve affected my decision. I had no reason to leave Minnesota, with how much we loved it there,” Cousins admitted on Netflix’s Quarterback season 2. “If both teams were going to be drafting a quarterback high. But I’ve also learned in 12 years in this league that you’re not entitled to anything — it’s all about earning your spot and proving yourself.” Translation: he probably would’ve stayed in Minnesota, where, by the way, they also drafted a QB, but at least told him to his face. The Falcons called Cousins while on the clock to break the Michael Penix Jr. news. By then, his $100M contract was already inked. That’s not just a surprise; that’s strategic silence. And when you withhold crucial info that would’ve changed someone’s decision? That’s not business. That’s manipulation.

You would think that Kirk Cousins, who has been an NFL player for more than a decade, had seen every possible curveball a front office could throw. But Atlanta seemed to have one more trick pitch in its bag. Cousins took the money, packed his bags, left Minnesota, and walked into the Falcons’ facility thinking he was the guy. Until surprise! Only a few weeks later, Atlanta selected Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall choice. And they didn’t exactly loop him in ahead of time.

Kirk Cousins: From starter to support

Despite the emotional gut punch, Cousins didn’t run. He didn’t retire or disappear into the memory room. He showed up. To OTAs, minicamp, and to a locker room where he’s no longer QB1 – just QB expensive. Cousins acknowledged that conversations about a possible trade occurred earlier in the year, from January through April, but said his focus now is on showing up, doing his job, and helping the Falcons win.

He’s not lying. But you can hear the fatigue in the phrasing. Head coach Raheem Morris praised Cousins for his character. Said he’s “comfortable” with the situation. Comfortable having a 36-year-old backup making $27.5 million while their rookie gets the keys. But if you’ve watched Quarterback, you know Cousins isn’t wired for passive roles. Even when he’s quiet, he’s thinking. About the miss. The standard. The shelf that’s still empty.

“Hopefully, in February, we, as an organization, are holding up the Lombardi Trophy,” he said. It’s no longer about his trophy. It’s about theirs. And while that’s the mature thing to say, deep down, you get the feeling Kirk Cousins still wakes up every morning wondering how this all slipped away. Season 1 gave us the fighter, bruised, burning, and fully committed. Season 2 gave us the fallout – the one where he realizes sometimes the pain doesn’t come from a sack. It comes from the front office.