$180 million is what it took for Kirk Cousins to come to Atlanta in 2024. It was a commitment to Cousins as the Falcons’ starting Quarterback. A sign of trust they showed in him. It all but lasted till Week 16, when rookie Michael Penix Jr. replaced him as the field general. Head coach Raheem Morris described the incident as “Just a football decision.” Sharp and straight to the point. They say there is no love in war, and the Falcons just chose their QB1 based off one thing, and one thing only. Their ability to win the next game. For Morris, Kirk doesn’t have that at the moment.

He did at the start of last season, however. When Morris adorned the Falcons uniform in Week 1 against the Steelers, he was coming off a season-ending injury in October. So, when Kirk threw twice to the Steelers’ defense, fans wondered if he was still physically healthy by the end of the game. After all, he walked in with that ‘franchise QB energy’. The doubt left the room in Week 2. Against the Eagles, he recorded 241 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs for a passer rating of 117.2. By the end of week 10, he accumulated around 2,634 yards, 17 TDs, and 6 INTs for an average passer rating of 98.5. However, that’s when the story flips.

From Week 10, Cousins looked like a Broadway actor who forgot his lines. Averaging only a passer rating of 66.5 from week 10-15, the solution the Falcons found for him was the bench. Here’s the production breakdown for Kirk last season.

Ahead of the 2025-2026 season, the Falcons found their Kirk Cousins contingency. NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks summed it up: “Falcons fans should be excited about the offense’s potential with Penix at the helm, despite the small sample size by which we can judge the QB so far — he started just three games and appeared in five as a rookie last season… As offensive coordinator Zac Robinson tweaks the scheme to build around Penix’s big arm and gunslinger mentality, the Falcons could become a scoring machine, with a spectacular sophomore dropping bombs in a vertical-based passing game designed to produce more explosive plays.” The lefty has a loaded arsenal, too. Drake London’s size, Darnell Mooney’s speed, Kyle Pitts’ athleticism, and Bijan Robinson’s explosiveness—giving Penix the kind of playmaking depth that can turn every snap into a highlight.

So, it’s a reality-check for Kirk. And a difficult one at that. Season 2 of the Quarterback series documented the whole ordeal. In it, Kirk’s wife, Julie Cousins, was almost in tears, telling the interviewer, “It was like 7:30 at night, and so I said, Raheem called you. And he knew what that meant and so did I. (Takes deep breath) He was gone for about an hour, and that was a really sad time. My kids were playing, and I was crying, and I was trying to explain it to them. They’re like, is he not on the team anymore? Um, just a very somber night.” Emotions ran high, and difficult conversations were held. Losing the starting position wasn’t just an emotional setback for Cousins but also for his family.

With the loss of the main lead role, there is a chance that his stint with the Falcons might come to an end. If Penix performs well this year, Kirk will end up a burden on the Falcons’ roster. With a heavy price tag to his name, it’s likely he will be moved. That’s why this year is a crucial one for Cousins, since this season might just be a break or deal one. If he performs better than Penix, he stays; if he doesn’t, the Falcons won’t wait with him. It’s a tough situation for Kirk as he has to battle his own mentee.

Kirk Cousins as a mentor to Penix

Before running down the tunnel in Week 16 on Penix’s debut in the league. Cousins pulled him aside for a prayer for safety and high execution. It’s something they did every game, but this time Cousins wasn’t taking the field. Pulled from the game, most players would be seething in disappointment, but Cousins showed none of it. Penix leapt onto the grid and won his first game against the Giants. The prayer worked.

Cousins has always encouraged the rookie and tried to motivate him. Penix even told reporters after his debut game, “He’s been great. He’s a great leader, great teammate, and we talk all the time. Coming off on the sidelines, he’s always asked me what I saw, and he continued to encourage me throughout the whole game.” Cousins’ relationship with Penix is one of the reasons why it’s difficult to imagine him competing against the young quarterback.

In fact, even when Kirk heard he was losing the starting role, he didn’t forget to congratulate Penix. In December, after a difficult conversation with Morris where he broke the news to Kirk, he went back to his home, straight to the garage. When his wife came to check up on him, she heard him in a conversation with Penix. He later recalled that talk, saying he wanted to “Just let him know I’d be in his corner and supporting him and trying to help him any way I can.” Julie Cousins best sums up the class and maturity he showed after losing his position. “That is the kind of man he is.“