The relationship between veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons is reaching a pivotal moment in the 2024 NFL season. Following a Week 15 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, head coach Raheem Morris’ franchise announced a final decision.
Morris had said Cousins needed to play better if he wanted to remain the starter, but a few hours later, the Falcons made a more arbitrary decision for the 36-year-old quarterback. The former Minnesota Vikings player was heavily questioned for his sluggish performances this season.
“After review we have made the decision Michael Penix (Cousins backup) will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward. This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants,” confirmed Morris on the future of Cousins, who is now on the benched. The Falcons officially announced the news on their website.
The Falcons have a 7-7 record and are in second place in the NFC South. At this point in the season, they decided to give a rookie a chance after finding out that quarterback Cousins, who joined in the offseason and was in his first season with the Atlanta franchise, did not live up to expectations. His future has been decided and his career will not continue with the Falcons.
Kirk Cousins’ performance in the 2024 NFL season
Cousins completed 303 passes for 3508 yards in his fourteen appearances with the Atlanta team this season. The veteran quarterback contributed 18 touchdowns and recorded 16 interceptions to his attempts, the highest number of this topic in his career. Cousins has a salary of $27.5 million for 2025, but at the same time he has a no-trade clause.
Who is Michael Penix Jr, the new starting QB of the Falcons?
Penix is in his first season as a pro and took over as the Falcons’ starting quarterback late in the regular season. The 24-year-old rookie was selected with the eighth overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft after a college campaign that ended with him leading the Washington Huskies.
Penix has already played in games for the Falcons this season, throwing five passes, three of them completions with a passer rating of 83.7. With his limited playing time, he already exceeds the numbers of Cousins, whose rate fell below 80 in his last few starts.