Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (#18)
Getty
On Saturday, The Athletic's Josh Kendall issued a bold prediction for Michael Penix Jr. that would push him above Kirk Cousins among Falcons passers.
Barring a disaster, Kirk Cousins should serve as the most experienced – and most expensive – backup quarterback in the NFL. While he lost the starting job last year, Cousins has been a valuable presence for Michael Penix Jr. and the Falcons.
Unfortunately, Cousins hasn’t provided the on-field value that the Falcons were hoping for when they signed him to a four-year, $180 million deal last March. During his 14 starts, Kirk Cousins threw for just 18 touchdowns and a career-high 16 interceptions.
After a strong finish to the 2024 season, Michael Penix Jr. carried some momentum throughout the offseason. Even though Penix only threw three touchdown passes in 2024, The Athletic‘s Josh Kendall issued a bold prediction that would catapult the second-year quarterback into rarified air among Falcons quarterbacks.
Senior Falcons Writer Predicts More Than 30 Touchdown Passes for Michael Penix Jr. in 2025
Early on Saturday, The Athletic released their list of bold predictions for the 2025 season. Falcons Senior Writer Josh Kendall predicted that Michael Penix Jr. would reach a milestone that only two quarterbacks in Falcons history have: 30+ touchdown passes.
The last quarterback to reach that mark was Matt Ryan in 2018, so it would be quite the jump in terms of their recent passing performances. Kirk Cousins’ 18 touchdowns last season represented the highest total in the post-Ryan era. As we enter the first year of the Michael Penix Jr. era, let’s review his 2024 performance.
After taking over for Kirk Cousins in Week 16, Penix produced pedestrian numbers in terms of touchdowns and interceptions, recording three of each. There are questions surrounding his accuracy, as Kendall noted that he completed just 58% of his passes across three starts.
But, Kendall believes that offensive coordinator Zac Robinson will be aggressive and provide “plenty of opportunities” for big plays.
“Penix was eighth in the league in passing yards (723) after taking over the starting job last season,” Kendall wrote. Penix showed gradual signs of improvement, leading game-tying touchdown drives in each of their final two games.
Unfortunately, the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers each won the coin toss and scored game-winning touchdowns on their first drives of overtime. So, even though he finished with a 1-2 record, that doesn’t tell the whole story.
Kirk Cousins Situation is ‘Different in a Different Way’ in 2025
Last season, over their first nine games, the Falcons looked ready to overtake the Buccaneers for the NFC South crown. Kirk Cousins had led their offense to over 24 points per game and a 6-3 record, including 4-0 in the division.
But, after an Achilles tear in 2023 and a nagging ankle injury early in 2024, Cousins suffered a big blow during their Week 10 loss to the New Orleans Saints that stuck with him. Back in February, Kirk Cousins spoke with The Athletic‘s Diana Russini and revealed the issue that really held him back.
“But then I took a hit against the Saints in Week 10 that messed with my shoulder and elbow,” Cousins told Russini. “So now, I had the right ankle, the shoulder, the elbow — there was a lot I was working through. That was hard.”
On Thursday, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski wrote about each team’s backup quarterback, noting that Kirk Cousins can still be “a major benefit to the team.”
Sobleski included a quote from Falcons passing game coordinator TJ Yates that sums up where Cousins will go from here.
“It’s never going to be the same as it was, but it’s different in a different way,” passing game coordinator TJ Yates told ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. “But I think it’s better just because Kirk has been an absolute pro in every part of the process so far in how much he helps Mike.”
As Michael Penix Jr. leads the Falcons offense in 2025, he’ll have the benefit of the league’s most experienced backup quarterback to help him along. If Kirk Cousins can help Penix become a franchise quarterback, it’ll be well worth a $40 million cap hit.