Kirk Cousins reveals he felt ‘misled’ by Falcons after Michael Penix Jr. draft pick

As the Atlanta Falcons searched for an answer at quarterback, they turned to Kirk Cousins. The former Minnesota Vikings QB signed a lucrative four-year, $180 million contract that included $100 million in guarantees.

But just over a month after Cousins signed with Atlanta, the franchise took Michael Penix Jr. in the Top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft. That decision caught the veteran quarterback off guard.

During the Season 2 premiere of Netflix’s Quarterback, which released on Tuesday, Cousins said he didn’t expect the Falcons to take a quarterback with such a high draft pick. If he knew that beforehand, he said it likely would’ve had an impact on his decision in free agency as he weighed whether or not to leave the Vikings.

“I ended up signing with Atlanta and was pretty excited about the chance to get down there and start fresh. And then, I was pretty surprised when the NFL draft happened,” Cousins said, via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra. “I wasn’t expecting us to take a quarterback so high. At the time, it felt like I had been a little bit misled, or certainly if I had the information around free agency, it certainly would’ve affected my decision.

“I had no reason to leave Minnesota with how much we loved it there if both teams are going to be drafting a quarterback that high. 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.”

Kirk Cousins threw for 3,508 yards and 18 touchdowns with the Falcons in 2024, but led the league with 16 interceptions. He later wound up losing the starting job to Penix, though, and rumors swirled about Cousins’ future in Atlanta this offseason.

Reports indicated the Pittsburgh Steelers were looking into him if their Aaron Rodgers pursuit fell through. However, one of the big sticking points regarding a potential trade – whether it be to Pittsburgh or elsewhere – was the $37.5 million in guarantees on Cousins’ contract. If Atlanta wanted to make a deal, the franchise would have needed to find a way to offset some of that money.

But with training camp just a few weeks away, Cousins is still with the Falcons. The conversation is sure to continue as the season draws closer. Atlanta will kick off the 2025 campaign Sept. 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.