Falcons Hold Steady with Kirk Cousins Despite Potential Payoff Drama
Sarah Johnson
March 16, 2025
Brief
The Atlanta Falcons will pay Kirk Cousins his $10 million roster bonus, despite benching him and drafting Michael Penix as their new starting quarterback. Trade talks continue.
Kirk Cousins' tenure with the Atlanta Falcons isn't over quite yet, despite some rocky moments and chatter about his future. According to ESPN, the Falcons plan to honor the quarterback’s $10 million roster bonus, which kicks in if Cousins remains on the team's roster after 4 p.m. ET Saturday.
This decision comes on the heels of a turbulent season where Cousins was benched ahead of Week 16 after throwing nine interceptions in a five-game stretch. The drama escalated when Falcons head coach Raheem Morris publicly declared rookie Michael Penix as the team's "starting quarterback moving forward." Talk about awkward breakups.
Cousins, who inked a hefty four-year, $180 million deal in March 2024—complete with $90 million guaranteed—might not have imagined he'd be warming the bench this soon. But just six weeks after committing to him, the Falcons used their No. 8 pick in the NFL Draft to snag Penix, causing plenty of raised eyebrows in the football world.
Despite whispers of an impending split, Falcons GM Terry Fontenot insists the franchise is "comfortable" with Cousins backing up Penix. "Kirk is a great man, and he's been great support for Mike," Fontenot said in January, adding that the team feels good about Cousins in his secondary role. Sure, but do we think Cousins feels the same?
Last week, Cousins reportedly met with Falcons owner Arthur Blank to request a trade, hoping to land a spot where he could start next season. However, Blank and the Falcons appear to be prioritizing the franchise's best interests, including financial implications. Cousins is owed $27.5 million next season, no matter what uniform he wears in 2025. A post-June 1 release could allow Atlanta to spread out that steep salary cap hit over two years.
For now, it seems the Falcons are buying time to explore trade options. Cousins holds the final say on where he goes, thanks to a no-trade clause in his contract. Whether he stays or heads elsewhere, the bonus payment signals that Atlanta may still have some cards to play in this increasingly convoluted quarterback saga.
Stay tuned as we watch this drama unfold—because, honestly, who doesn’t love a bit of NFL soap opera?
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Editor's Comments
Cousins' situation is like a classic case of 'the grass isn’t always greener.' The Falcons are clearly hedging their bets, but keeping him around feels like they're holding onto an old sweater they don’t really want anymore. If Cousins does get traded, I’d love to see a team where he can shine instead of just collecting paychecks from the sidelines.
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