Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Falcons' Raheem Morris Reacts to Elephant in the Room With Kirk Cousins at Minicamp

Originally posted on Atlanta Falcons on SI
By Dave Holcomb | Last updated Jun 10, 2025 12:32 PM ET

The Atlanta Falcons are turning the page to quarterback Michael Penix Jr. this offseason, but veteran Kirk Cousins has stayed very much in the conversation around the team.

On Tuesday, Cousins attended the team's mandatory minicamp. His attendance was initially a little uncertain, but The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported Monday that Cousins was expected to be present.

A higher level of attendance is almost always a good thing for NFL minicamp. But with Cousins having lost his job to Penix, pundits have wondered this offseason if things will be awkward between the two quarterbacks.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris tried to dispel that narrative Tuesday.

"Kirk has a great appreciation for the player that Michael is," Morris said, via 92.9 The Game's Joe Patrick. "He has a great appreciation for the person Michael is."

Raheem Morris says he's not concerned at all about awkwardness or negative impacts the #Falcons QB room is perceived to have: "Kirk has a great appreciation for the player that Michael is. He has a great appreciation for the person Michael is."
— Joe Patrick (@japatrick200) June 10, 2025

Whether or not Cousins showed up, he was going to be a storyline this week. Had Cousins not shown at minicamp, then the media would have interpreted that as things are potentially awkward between the quarterback and Falcons.

But the Falcons have done their best to crush any idea that things are weird with Cousins.

"I don't feel an awkwardness personally with me or the coaches, but I understand he wants to go play somewhere," offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said in May, via ESPN's Marc Raimondi. "But, shoot, we will coach the guys that are here and expect Kirk to give us the same thing back."

Cousins has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason, but obviously, nothing has come to fruition. Instead, teams like the Cleveland Browns have filled their quarterback depth chart with rookies and other teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers have pursued other last minute veteran options.

The Falcons could have released Cousins before the fifth day of the new league year in March to avoid committing another $10 million to the quarterback. But Atlanta chose to hold onto the signal-caller in the hopes of landing a draft pick in return for him via a trade.

It was a risky decision, but if traded, Cousins' new team will pay him the $10 million roster bonus.

For now, though, he remains with the Falcons, and he will be working with Penix at the team's mandatory minicamp this week.

This article first appeared on Atlanta Falcons on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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