Kirk Cousins Felt ‘Misled’ by Falcons After Michael Penix Jr. Pick

Kirk Cousins says he felt misled by the Atlanta Falcons after the team drafted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — just weeks after signing Cousins to a four-year deal with $100 million guaranteed.

In the new season of Netflix’s Quarterback, which premiered Tuesday, Cousins opened up publicly for the first time about how the surprise pick affected him.

“I felt a little bit misled,” Cousins said. “If I had that information during free agency, it definitely would’ve influenced my decision.”

Cousins noted he knew Atlanta might add a quarterback, but he never expected it to be with a top-10 pick. He only found out the Falcons were drafting Penix after a phone call from offensive coordinator Zac Robinson — while the team was on the clock.

A Different Outcome Might Have Kept Him in Minnesota

Cousins said he might have stayed with the Minnesota Vikings if he knew both teams were planning to draft quarterbacks.

“I had no reason to leave Minnesota with how much we loved it there if both teams are going to be drafting a quarterback high,” he said. “But I’ve also learned in 12 years in this league that you’re not entitled to anything. It’s all about being able to earn your spot and prove yourself.”

The Vikings did make an offer to Cousins before he signed with Atlanta. They eventually drafted quarterback J.J. McCarthy at No. 10, two picks after Penix.

Injury Changed Everything in 2024 Season

Cousins got off to a solid start in 2024, leading the Falcons to a 6–3 record. But things fell apart after a Week 10 loss to the Saints, when Cousins took a hard hit to his right arm from defensive end Payton Turner. He later admitted he felt something was wrong right away and experienced shoulder pain after the game.

Despite that, Cousins stayed on the field. He appeared on the injury report just once in Week 11, then told reporters he was “100 percent” after a loss to the Broncos.

Looking back, Cousins now says the injury was worse than he first believed.

“At the time, I just thought it was more pain to push through, like always,” he said. “But after the season, I realized it was more serious.”

Fear of Losing the Job Kept Him on the Field

Cousins admitted on Quarterback that he didn’t want to sit out because he was afraid of losing his starting job.

“The information I had at the time, I made the best decision,” he said. “You also know that if you sit down Week 10 and take two or three weeks or more to let it heal, you may never get your job back. I remember reading Drew Brees‘ book back in 2010 when he first wrote it, how he made the point that he tried to never let his backup see the field — even if it was somebody who was really no threat. He just felt like you should never do that. Doug Flutie taught him that.

He referenced a lesson from Drew Brees’ book, saying Brees tried never to let a backup play, even if they weren’t a threat. Cousins said that mindset stuck with him.

“So that was something I always was aware of, that in this league, if you give someone else the chance, if you want to get ‘Wally Pipped’ and there’s Lou Gehrig behind you, that can happen at the time,” he said.

Penix Took Over, Falcons Missed the Playoffs

The Falcons eventually benched Cousins in Week 16. Penix stepped in and played well, but Atlanta finished the season 1–2 in his starts and missed the playoffs.

Most expected the Falcons to release Cousins this offseason, but they didn’t. In March, the team picked up his $10 million bonus, keeping him on the roster heading into training camp. Cousins still carries a $27.5 million salary cap hit for 2025.

General manager Terry Fontenot has said Cousins is worth more to Atlanta as a backup than playing elsewhere, though the team could explore trade options if another club is willing to take on part of the salary.

Cousins on Being Benched: ‘You Have to Be a Grown Man’

Speaking about the decision to bench him, Cousins said it wasn’t easy to accept.

“It hurts to go into work, but you got to be an adult,” he said. “You’ve got to be a grown man and handle it with maturity. I feel sorry for myself and it’s hard to do, but that’s what you got to do. And so that’s kind of where my focus went.”

For now, Cousins remains with the Falcons — a backup, for now, still looking to prove he can lead again.