The Kirk Cousins Contract Is Not The End Of The World For The Falcons

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Hery Acosta | Last updated Jul 7, 2025 9:00 AM ET

When Cousins signed his lucrative contract, there were already many questions surrounding it, like why they would give so much money to a 36-year-old who was coming off an Achilles Tear. They later drafted Michael Penix Jr. which was more confusing to analysts and fans, but a year later seems to be a good choice for the team.

The contract haunts the Falcons to an extent, but unlike the Deshaun Watson deal in Cleveland, the Falcons can easily continue to survive this one as the years continue. The Falcons have also been in multiple trade rumors, but once those died down, Cousins has stayed in Atlanta.

The Falcons benched Cousins, after he had one of the worst stretches of his career, where he ended up leading the league in interceptions. Penix took over and showed some promising flashes, which led to him becoming the starter in 2025.

The contract has $45 million guaranteed, which is still a lot, but not as much as it could be for it to be the legit end of the world for the Falcons. Cousins could still end up on another team before the season starts, before the trade deadline, or end up starting if an injury or bad play happens.

The Falcons are currently in one of the best-case scenarios they could be in barring everything that has been going on this offseason. With their star offensive players, new defense, and overall improvements everywhere, the team looks to change everything for next season.

It is time for the Falcons to make the city of Atlanta celebrate, and this team could be a force to be reckoned with for years.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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