The Atlanta Falcons are set to release veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins before the start of the new NFL league year in March, according to reports. This move will give Cousins freedom to explore his next steps while reopening the quarterback competition in Atlanta amid a new front office regime. The decision follows two underwhelming seasons for Cousins and an injury to rookie Michael Penix Jr.
The Atlanta Falcons' quarterback situation has been turbulent since signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract ahead of the 2024 season. Just one month later, the team drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round, signaling early doubts about Cousins as the long-term solution. In 2024, Cousins started 14 games, completing passes at an uneven rate with 18 touchdowns and a league-leading 16 interceptions, leading to him being benched for Penix late in the year.
The instability continued into 2025. Penix started nine games, going 3-6, before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in November. Cousins returned as starter for eight games, completing under 62% of his passes with a 5.7 adjusted net yards per attempt, according to reports. Overall, his 2025 stats included 61% completion for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions in his starts, finishing 5-3. The Falcons ended the season 8-9 for the second straight year, prompting the firing of coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot.
Under new leadership—coach Kevin Stefanski, general manager Ian Cunningham, and president of football operations Matt Ryan—the Falcons restructured Cousins' contract, converting his 2026 base salary from $35 million to $2.1 million and pushing the rest to 2027, where it would total $67.9 million and become fully guaranteed if he remained on the roster past mid-March. To avoid that guarantee, Atlanta plans to release him before the league year begins, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
This release offers financial flexibility for the Falcons and control for the 37-year-old Cousins, who has a history of securing fully guaranteed deals in free agency. While he may attract interest as a bridge quarterback in a thin market—despite past rumors of Pittsburgh Steelers' curiosity—he is also considering TV opportunities or retirement. For Penix, recovering from injury and expecting to be ready for the 2026 opener, the path to starting remains uncertain.
Matt Ryan, introducing Cunningham, emphasized a collaborative evaluation: "Neither of us are the head coach of the football team, so we can't answer your question on that... I think as we start to get into this process and dive deeper into the roster... those are conversations that'll be a part of it." The move closes a costly chapter for Atlanta, highlighting ongoing questions at the sport's most critical position.
