Kirk Cousins has had a rollercoaster tenure with the Atlanta Falcons since landing in Georgia last spring. The veteran quarterback watched the team’s Week 18, 44-38 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers from the sidelines.
Kirk Cousins’ Wife Was All In as Falcons Suffered OT Loss to Panthers
The 36-year-old Illinois native was benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr., the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, ahead of Week 16.
While the Falcons are not benefiting from Cousins’ service on the field, his wife — Julie Cousins — was at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with their two sons, Cooper and Turner Cousins. Even amid Kirk’s struggles, Julie’s presence shows her dedication as his future in Atlanta hangs by a thread.
Cousins’ $180 million contract (as per Spotrac), signed in the offseason, promised a fresh start for the former Minnesota Vikings man. He was expected to fill the missing piece in a long-awaited playoff push for the Falcons. Instead, Cousins endured a catastrophic season marked by 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, with his performance plummeting during a four-game losing streak in November.
After his benching, Cousins’ grade for the season currently sits at 71.8 (C-), 23rd in the NFL this season and his worst mark since at least 2019, as far back as PFN’s QB+ metric data currently extends.
Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris made the difficult decision to bench the veteran, opting for the rookie Penix to take the reins. The former Washington Huskies QB and the 2023 Heisman Trophy finalist has shown flashes of potential in his three starts from Week 16-18, completing 58 of 100 passes for 717 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions.
The rookie praised Cousins for his mentorship during the transition, saying, “He’s been nothing but supportive. He cheers up the team and helps however he can.”
Cousins may be embracing his new role on the bench, but the writing may be on the wall for his time in Atlanta. The Falcons face a tough decision with a $10 million signing bonus coming their way in March. Amid all this, NFL insiders have speculated about potential landing spots for Cousins when and if the time comes, with the Cleveland Browns emerging as a possible destination to reunite with ex-OC.
The Browns seek veteran competition for Deshaun Watson, and Cousins’ experience could be a valuable asset. This season wasn’t all gloomy for Cousins, including noteworthy performances against the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, his inconsistency and penchant for risky throws led to Atlanta’s collapse, turning a promising 6-3 start into a disappointing 7-7 record at the end of Week 15.
MORE: What Happened to Kirk Cousins? Examining Why the Falcons Benched Their $294,000,000 QB
As Julie cheered on the Falcons, her support may have been one of the few constants in what has become a turbulent chapter for the Atlanta quarterback. The offseason is fast approaching, and fans will be eyeing the Atlanta front office, which has to decide whether to continue gambling on the $180 million quarterback or move on to the future with Penix.