Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has become persona non grata inside and outside of Interstate 285. However, he will remain on the roster at least through 4:00 PM today, when his $10 million roster bonus becomes due in 2026, according to numerous reports. Cousins made $62.5M in 2024. He’s due $27.5M in 2025. The extra $10M runs the total paid to $100M.
Falcons General Manager Terry Fontenot told everyone Cousins would be on the roster in 2025, to the chagrin of many fans. However, the cap hits Atlanta would take if Cousins is traded or released outright are devastating. This year, In 2025, Cousins carries a cap hit of $40,000,000 and a dead cap value of $75,000,000.
Atlanta could part company with the quarterback. However, Cousins has a no-trade clause in his contract and may waive it if and only if he can be a starter elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the vitriol lobbed toward Cousins has been well documented. During Super Bowl week, Cousins admitted to Jamie Erdahl of NFL Network he dealt with shoulder and elbow issues after the Falcons suffered an inexplicable loss against the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 10.
“Nobody is perfect in this league. We’re never feeling 100%,” Cousins told Erdahl. “[The achilles] didn’t really affect me too much. But then against the Saints, got hit pretty good in my right shoulder and elbow. From there, kind of dealing with that was something I was working through.
“Just never could really get it to where I wanted it. Now that the season is over, you have the time and energy to say, ‘Ok, let’s get the right ankle back, let’s get the right shoulder back, let’s get the elbow back.’ And if we can do that, feel like I have a new life ahead of me in pro football.”
It was evident Falcons Head Coach Raheem Morris would give Cousins ample opportunities to prove he could be effective. However, after Cousins struggled mightily in the win over the Las Vegas Raiders, his position as starter would be untenable. In a five game stretch Cousins threw only one touchdown and nine interceptions. The Falcons won one game, lost four, and fumbled control of their playoff destiny. At that point, Cousins led the NFL with 16 interceptions.
Michael Penix Jr. would eventually be named the starter going forward.