Cousins Returns to Falcons After Depth Chart Shift

For the first time since last week, Kirk Cousins took the field as a quarterback for the Falcons during a regular season game. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for him lately.

Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler, saw his position change when he joined the free agency Falcons in 2024. He stepped in toward the end of the fourth quarter on Sunday, after Michael Penix Jr. was benched in a lopsided 30-0 defeat to the Panthers.

Penix, who began as the starting quarterback late last season and entered this year working on his game, had a rough outing. He completed 18 of 36 passes for 172 yards, posting two interceptions—one of which was returned for a touchdown—while failing to register any touchdowns.

In his limited minutes, Cousins managed to complete 7 of 5 passes for 29 yards on two drives, but he mostly struggled to find a rhythm during his first stint.

Interestingly, coach Raheem Morris clarified to the media that despite Cousins’ appearance, he isn’t expected to reclaim the starting job anytime soon. Penix remains the starter for now.

Reports have suggested that Cousins may be facing a tough road ahead. James Palmer mentioned on a podcast, echoing sentiments heard around the NFL, that “Kirk Cousins is essentially over.” It raises questions, for sure. Is that the general consensus?

The shift in Cousins’ standing started when the Falcons selected Penix as the No. 8 pick in last year’s draft, after a somewhat surprising move to sign Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal. Notably, Penix had taken over the first 14 games last season.

One thing’s clear: he wants to play. Cousins expressed this much during the Falcons’ June mini-camp. “Obviously you want to play, but I’m not going to cling to things that aren’t real,” he told reporters. It’s a pragmatic stance—perhaps too pragmatic for some fans.

This loss brought the Falcons’ record to 1-2 for the season after they managed to defeat the Vikings last week, driven by five field goals and a late touchdown.