The NFL and politics have had a weird and convoluted history. From the Colin Kaepernick situation to Joey Bosa’s fine this season, the sport has had a decidedly political edge.
This offseason, there was much dispute about the Philadelphia Eagles’ customary visit to the White House after winning the Super Bowl. However, unlike the reigning NFL champions, one of the 10 highest-paid quarterbacks in league history, Kirk Cousins, had no such qualms on a recent visit.
Kirk Cousins All Smiles Alongside President Donald Trump
In a photo posted on X by Margo Martin, a special assistant to the president and communications advisor, Cousins met the 45th and 47th president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, at the Oval Office.
#18 🤝#47 pic.twitter.com/3n3rCs4MFO
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) March 7, 2025
Martin captioned the picture using a simple message with Nos. 18 and 47. The latter stands for Trump’s second presidency term, while the former is the jersey number Cousins wore in Atlanta.
Is Cousins on the Move? Falcons Seem Hesitant To Trade Veteran QB
It was a challenging year for the former Minnesota Vikings QB in his first season with the Atlanta Falcons as he returned from a torn right Achilles. As a result, his numbers were down across the board. Since he became a full-time starter in Washington, his 3,508 yards were the lowest mark in any healthy season of his career.
Sources: QB Kirk Cousins asked for, and got, a meeting with Falcons owner Arthur Blank on his future. Blank and Cousins had that meeting Wednesday night—the QB wants to go to a place where he can start in 2025.
The Falcons brass has said it'd do what's best for the team at QB.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 7, 2025
The same was true for his 18 touchdowns, while the 16 interceptions were the worst mark of his career. It eventually led to a brutal stretch of four games where he did not score a single touchdown while giving up eight interceptions.
As a result, he finished 24th on PFSN’s QB+ metric behind names like Joe Flacco, Aidan O’Connell, and the much-maligned Aaron Rodgers. This led to the Falcons missing the playoffs and finishing with a sub-500 record of 8-9.
Ultimately, that four-game run cost him his starting job, and the Falcons decided to move rookie Michael Penix Jr. into the starting position. It looks like the Falcons will continue with Penix as the starter in 2025, potentially opening the door for a Cousins trade.
However, after signing a four-year, $180 million deal with Atlanta last offseason, Cousins still has a hefty price tag. It remains to be seen if someone picks up the remainder of his contract.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, teams have called about the veteran passer. However, they’re reportedly being turned away. Whether or not they will continue to do so is a different question, but right now, no trades are currently on the table, according to the report
Teams have reached out to the Falcons to see if they have any plans to cut him and they’ve been told no…for now.
No trade discussions have been brought up. https://t.co/aUpWeJ3zAw
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 7, 2025
This all comes after the report from Albert Breer that Cousins approached the Falcons’ front office to request that he go to a team where he can start. With Penix in tow, Atlanta does not have much use for the 36-year-old QB, but his contract could be tricky not just for the acquiring team but for the Falcons as well given the dead cap they would acquire.
Atlanta would take on a $37.5 million dead cap hit if he were traded before June 1 and a $12.5 million cap hit in 2025 and $25 million in 2026 if traded after June 1. This leaves his future in flux
Right now, though, it doesn’t look like he is too worried about his future in the league as he cuts a serene figure alongside the president of the United States.