ESPN's Mina Kimes Grades Falcons Hire of Kevin Stefanski

“When this news broke, my first take was ‘this is good news for the Falcons’ best player, Bijan Robinson,’” Kimes said. “I like him in the Kevin Stefanski scheme that we saw Nick Chubb have great success in Cleveland.” 

She joked that the response she got from fans on social media was poking fun at how her opinion immediately went to a running back. She pushed back with the fact that he is clearly the team’s best player. 

“You should build your offense around him. He is your best player,” she said. “And also, it’s an offense that is very quarterback-friendly – now, who that quarterback is and what that looks like [remains to be seen]. The Stefanski hire is interesting in that regard, too, because Stefanski, you could argue, his undoing in Cleveland because he had bad quarterbacks forced upon him. Maybe he was complicit, whatever, but he tried to bend [his offense] to Deshaun Watson, and it didn’t work.

“I’ll be very interested in seeing what he wants to do at the [quarterback] position in Atlanta.” 

The Falcons currently have Michael Penix Jr. working to return from an ACL injury and have restructured Kirk Cousins’ contract in a way that makes him an obvious cut candidate. The latter of which is who Solak highlighted as a potentially interesting option for Stefanski in 2026 – the Falcons’ coach called plays for Cousins in 2018 and 2019, and they had a lot of success together.

“Let’s say the Falcons cut Kirk Cousins on the first day of the league year, and he’s got to go sign somewhere. Where would you recommend he sign if not Atlanta?” fellow NFL analyst Ben Solak said in response. “It’s the clear best spot for him! It’s his old offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach who runs the system he plays best in. It’s players that he’s familiar with, and it’s a winnable job. I don’t think Penix is going to walk in, in year three, with his body of work coming off his injuries, with a clear hold on that job, given that’s a new front office and it’s a new coaching staff. 

“I harbor a decent expectation that this will be a Kirk Cousins-Michael Penix quarterback battle in camp that Kirk wins.” 

Cousins, who filled in as the starter over the Falcons' final seven weeks, finished his season with 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, five interceptions, but a 5-2 record. Penix, meanwhile, showed some youthful struggles in his first year as a starter. There were flashes of his potential, but he was unable to put it all together before tearing his ACL in November. 

The Stefanski hire represents a philosophical shift as much as a coaching change. His offense can lean on Robinson while insulating whichever quarterback takes the job. 

But this formula only works if the Falcons get the quarterback decision right. Cousins could be a potential option for the immediate, but Penix offers upside and arm talent. However, his injury history and uneven development leave real uncertainty about whether he’s ready to carry a playoff-caliber team. 

How Atlanta navigates that choice will define Stefanski’s first year, and possibly the next five. The Falcons have an offensive architect in place, but they have to decide which quarterback gets to run the blueprint.