Kirk Cousins
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Former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins gets another shot with the Falcons after Michael Penix suffered a potential season-ending shoulder injury in Week 11 of the 2025 NFL season.
The Atlanta Falcons made the decision to release Kirk Cousins. The 37-year-old veteran quarterback will now hit the free agent market.
Technically, Cousins has not been cut just yet. However, once March 11 arrives — the start of the new league year — he will officially be designated as a post-June 1 release.
The Falcons will carry a more manageable cap hit of $24.6 million this season, along with dead cap charges of $22.5 million this year and $12.5 million next year.
“It made sense for us to move on,” new Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham told D.J. Shockley. “But out of respect for Kirk and his representation, I just wanted to let them know our intentions now, so that they could plan their future moving forward.”
Cousins will enter free agency for the third time in his 14-year NFL career. But it’s unlikely he commands another massive contract like he did previously. In fact, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon offered a sobering outlook on what could be next.
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Kirk Cousins Gets Troublesome Landing Spot Prediction
Gagnon listed several potential landing spots that included quarterback-needy teams such as the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals.
However, he also outlined another possibility — that Cousins may not be signed at all.
“This quarterback carousel won’t likely be loaded with greatness. That said, if Rodgers sticks around and Russell Wilson becomes another late-career option, and if teams decide to go young and not give up on guys like [J.J.] McCarthy and Anthony Richardson, it’s entirely possible nothing will come Cousins’ way this spring or summer,” Gagnon wrote.
The Steelers are still awaiting Aaron Rodgers’ decision on whether he will return, while Russell Wilson has served as a one-year solution for teams the past two seasons and could once again be viewed in that light.
Even so, it’s difficult to envision a scenario where no team makes a move for Cousins. He finished the 2025 season on a relatively strong note, starting the final eight games, going 5-3, and throwing for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.
“While somebody is likely to eventually become desperate enough to reach out to Cousins as an insurance policy, injury replacement or bridge, he could lose this game of musical chairs. And even if he’s offered a seat, a guy who has earned well over $300 million in his career could decide he isn’t interested and retire,” Gagnon added.
Would Kirk Cousins Really Call It Quits?
Retirement seems like a last-resort scenario, especially since Cousins has openly stated he wants another opportunity to start.
If he were to call it a career, he would retire as the fourth-highest earner in NFL history, despite having just one playoff victory.
He will most likely be remembered most for his six seasons with the Vikings. His stint in Atlanta, however, may not be viewed as favorably.
Cousins spent two seasons with the Falcons after signing a four-year, $180 million contract, finishing 12-10 as a starter.