New Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski not married to Michael Penix Jr., Kirk Cousins?

During his introductory Atlanta Falcons news conference on Tuesday, head coach Kevin Stefanski said he was "very excited" about working with Falcons 2025 Week 1 starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. amid Penix's recovery from his latest injury. 

Stefanski also previously worked with veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins, who ended this past season as Atlanta's QB1. 

During an appearance on NFL Network, Stefanski indicated that he's not married to either quarterback and won't really think about the Falcons' future at the position until new team president Matt Ryan hires the first general manager of his tenure. 

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"I think we have to hire a general manager first, before I can give you a great answer there," Stefanski said about Atlanta's quarterback room, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "Once we do that, I’ll sit with the general manager, sit with Matt Ryan, we’ll put our heads together on all roster decisions." 

A 2024 first-round draft choice, Penix has thus far made just 12 career starts and is coming off surgery to repair a partially torn ACL. It remains unknown if he'll be able to play in Atlanta's 2026 regular-season opener. 

As for Cousins, it appeared he was on track to be released after his contract was restructured shortly before the club hired Stefanski. Cousins had Stefanski as a quarterbacks coach and then as an offensive coordinator when the two were with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018 and 2019.

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"Kirk, obviously, a relationship there. He’s somebody that I think very highly of on and off the field," Stefanski said about the 37-year-old. "But all those types of decisions will come after we have a general manager. ...Those are all the types of discussions that will come in the next week or so." 

Neither Stefanski nor Ryan had anything to do with the Falcons acquiring Cousins and Penix in 2024. It sounds like Stefanski is open to Ryan bringing in some quarterback competition for whoever is on the roster when training camp gets underway this summer.