Abdelrahman
Indianapolis – Updates on Kirk Cousins’ Injury and Falcons Quarterback Situation
During the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, Falcons General Manager Terry Fontenot and Head Coach Raheem Morris revealed they were not aware of quarterback Kirk Cousins’ injury towards the end of the 2024 season. The issue came to light when Cousins discussed his condition on NFL Network during Super Bowl week. He explained that following a hit he took in a Week 10 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, he injured his right shoulder and elbow, which impaired his performance for the remainder of the season.
In Week 11, the Falcons briefly listed Cousins on the injury report, indicating limitations in his practice due to his right shoulder and elbow. Cousins later referred to this report as a “clerical error” when addressing the media after their game against the Denver Broncos.
Fontenot and Morris clarified that beyond that isolated instance, they were not kept informed about Cousins’ injury status. Following Week 10, Cousins’ performance noticeably declined, resulting in nine interceptions and only one touchdown over the next five games.
“He was on the injury report that one week only,” Fontenot stated. “As far as we are concerned, that’s the sole injury we were aware of.”
Cousins was eventually benched in Week 16 in favor of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons insisted that the move was based solely on performance, and Morris emphasized that any comments regarding Cousins’ injury should come from the player himself. He reiterated that their decision was not about health, but rather about Cousins’ performance on the field.
“The reason for the change was tied to poor decisions being made during the games,” Morris explained. “The interceptions were well-known, and we had to act on that information to build trust and confidence moving forward.”
Fontenot noted that he would maintain discretion regarding discussions with Cousins and his agent Mike McCartney, emphasizing that the organization’s plan remains for Cousins to support Penix as the backup quarterback.
If the Falcons decide to release Cousins before the 2025 league year begins on March 12, he would forfeit a $10 million roster bonus, and the team would incur $65 million in dead money, stemming from his guaranteed base salary of $27.5 million and $37.5 million in remaining prorated amounts, according to the Roster Management System. Alternatively, if released with a post-June 1 designation, the dead money would be distributed over the 2025 and 2026 seasons, with $40 million in 2025 and $25 million in 2026.
The Falcons appear to lean towards trading Cousins rather than cutting him, but his no-trade clause means he must approve any transaction, which could result in Atlanta having to absorb a significant portion of his contract.
Despite concerns regarding Cousins’ cap hit, Fontenot reaffirmed that retaining him as the backup is still part of their strategy, especially given that his $90 million guaranteed contract was set up last season. The organization had already accounted for these funds in their budget.
“We recognize that having a quarterback with that cap number isn’t ideal,” Fontenot commented. “However, when we signed him, we anticipated him being the starter. That number aligns with the standard for starting quarterbacks, and now, as a backup, we have absorbed those costs as part of our overall planning.”
