Cousins had 17 TDs and 7 INTs throughout the Atlanta Falcons’ first nine games, compared to nine INTs in his final five games.
The 2024 NFL season was one of the changes for veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. He changed teams, headed from the Minnesota Vikings to the Atlanta Falcons, changing the number of jerseys, going from 8th to 18th, having been in Atlanta’s 18th place for a decade. But the biggest change in my cousin was moving from starter to backup for the first time since the 2014 season.
At the end of the year, the 36-year-old cousin was benched in favor of 24-year-old first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr.
Even if the Falcons drafted the Penix with a future quarterback, no one predicted that the QB changes would happen soon as it would do, as Cousins was considered the current quarterback. His $180 million contract was shown so, and his cousin had been in charge of the deal throughout the first half of the year.
We’ve seen NFL players fall off a cliff, but usually it’s from one to another, not one to another. However, there may be an explanation as to why Cousins’ production fell so rapidly. He revealed why in an interview Tuesday about GMFB: Overtime.
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“So it didn’t really affect me, but then against the saint (10th week) I hit pretty well with my right shoulder and elbow. From there, I kind of deal with it, and it’s me It was something I was working for and I really couldn’t get it where I wanted it.”
This revelation could help start Cousins’ 2025 outlook as a quarterback, but Atlanta is no longer where he plays that role. The team has changed the page to Penix. Penix selected Atlanta as the eighth overall pick in last year’s draft. Cousins (88.6) and Penix (78.9) both fell below the NFL average with a quarterback rating of 92.3, but the Falcons finished the year in a slump and not someone who finished in a slump, but rather QB on a rookie contract. Roll with a dozen QBs. A $40 million cap hit next season.
Even if he doesn’t have a future in Atlanta, this is not the end of his cousin’s path. The cousin threw 13 more touchdown passes and passed Hall of Phaser Johnny Unitas, Warren Moon and John Elway. The best list ever. Cousins said he feels “I feel like I have a lot of football left for me,” but he knows it starts with getting healthy.
“I’m not good for the Falcons. If I’m not really feeling good, I’m not good for the team,” Cousins said. “It really takes me as long as I can to really feel good in my body as my focus has gone through January and February and this season has collapsed…
“Now that season is over, I say, “OK, let’s get back your right ankle. Let’s get back your shoulders. Let’s get back your elbows.” It feels like I’ve got a new life before me in professional football. ”
His age, the history of recent injuries, and the decline in production all work against him, but he works in the favor of his cousin. Moreover, outside of Sam Darnold, who replaced him in Minnesota, the QB free agent class is not robust for players guaranteed to be the starter next season. Among the 30s, including Russell Wilson, Jamaice Winston, and Andy Dalton, are several others of his cousin’s kind.
The route Wilson has taken with the Steelers this past season seems to be the most likely route for his cousin. Wilson was released for a year on a five-year, $245 million contract with the Broncos, paying more than $37 million in 2024, and the Steelers paid him a veteran minimum and set out for Pittsburgh in the playoffs. did.
