Falcons make decision on Kirk Cousins two years after signing him to $180 million contract

Kirk Cousins' clip with the Atlanta Falcons is each but over.

The team's wide manager, Ian Cunningham, told reporters Tuesday that the squad volition merchandise the seasoned backmost erstwhile the caller league twelvemonth officially begins adjacent month.

Cunningham said helium had already told Cousins of the team's decision.

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Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons warms up anterior to a crippled against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers astatine Raymond James Stadium connected Dec. 11, 2025 successful Tampa, Florida. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

"Just felt that was retired of respect for Kirk. What he's done successful his career, I owed that to him. We owed that to him to let him immoderate clarity going into escaped agency," Cunningham said astatine the NFL Scouting Combine Tuesday.

Cousins headed to the Falcons 2 years agone aft the Minnesota Vikings decided it was clip to determination on, draught J.J. McCarthy and motion Sam Darnold. Cousins signed a four-year, $180 cardinal woody with $100 cardinal guaranteed.

Atlanta Falcons backmost Kirk Cousins (18) passes against the New Orleans Saints during the archetypal fractional astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)

However, the matrimony was already soured when, astir a period aft signing Cousins, the Falcons were the biggest shockers of that year's NFL Draft and selected backmost Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth wide pick.

Cousins struggled successful his archetypal season, prompting the squad to determination connected to Penix earlier than expected. Penix was past the starter this year, portion Cousins was the backup.

Penix was injured this play with a partially torn ACL, which near Cousins to play successful 10 games, starting 8 of them. In his 24 games nether halfway with the Falcons, Cousins threw 28 touchdowns and 21 interceptions with a 65.0 completion percent for 5,229 yards.

Atlanta Falcons backmost Kirk Cousins walks disconnected the tract aft an NFL shot crippled against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, successful Minneapolis.  (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

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Perhaps, though, the Falcons are not acrophobic with Penix's knee, contempt it being the 3rd clip helium has sustained specified an injury.

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