The Atlanta Falcons are making a move they clearly didn't want to make. Rookie Michael Penix Jr. will start immediately in place of veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris announced the decision in a statement released by the team Tuesday night.
“After much consideration, we have decided that Michael Penix Jr. will be the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons going forward,” the statement read. “This is a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing our team for Sunday's game against the New York Giants.”
The statement came less than four hours after Morris hinted at the move in his regular press conference, the day after the Falcons defeated the Raiders 15-9 in Las Vegas to improve to 7-7.
“We didn't play particularly well at the quarterback position,” Morris said. “That's something that has to be addressed.”
Penix was drafted by the Falcons in the eighth pick in April. That's considering the team signed Cousins to a four-year free agency deal last month, giving the 13-year veteran $90 million in annual salary for the first two seasons and a total value of $180 million guaranteed. was a surprising move at the time. .
The plan at the time was to have Penix behind Cousins for at least a year, and Morris held out hope that he could stick to that plan until last week. The head coach, who took over in January, repeatedly called Penix “the future” and said the Falcons are fully committed to “their plans” at the position.
“When you look at organizations that put young players out there too early, it's terrible, and I don't want to be that guy,” Morris said last week. “I have my own plans and I know what I want to do for that young man.”
But Cousins' last five games convinced the Falcons they could no longer stick to that plan. He threw nine interceptions and one touchdown during that time, ranking 33rd in the league in expected points added per dropback (-0.14). When the quarterback was told Monday night that Morris said he needed to play better, Cousins responded, “That makes sense.”
“I don't think it's strange,” he said after completing a 112-yard pass. “Each week I go through my process and plan to go out there and play the best I can. This week is no different.”
Morris said Tuesday that Cousins showed no physical problems that would “jump off the page.” The 36-year-old returned this season from a ruptured Achilles tendon that ended his 2023 season after eight games.
“Part of it is a natural progression of erosion over the course of a football season,” Morris said of Cousins' appearance in the pocket.
Cousins' start to the season made it look like Atlanta's long-term plans were working out. He ranked fourth in the league in passing yards (2,328) and touchdowns (17) and seventh in EPA per dropback (.15) through Week 9 as the Falcons look to take a two-game lead in the NFC South. The race progressed.
But from there, Atlanta lost four straight and fell behind Tampa Bay (8-6) in the division as Cousins struggled. According to The Athletic's projections, the Falcons have a 23 percent chance of winning the district championship and a 31 percent chance of making the playoffs.
“Kirk brought us into contention,” Morris said last week. “You have to be determined to stick with someone you believe in. I don't want to be like some organizations that make tough decisions when an employee makes a mistake. It's our job, it's my job, to support him with the highest level of certainty so he can go out and play better. He's going to come out of this and hit the ground running here.”
But he didn't, and the Falcons are now turning to Penix. Penix is a former University of Washington quarterback who led the Huskies to the national title game last season and was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist. How the Falcons deal with Cousins from here is an open question. According to Over the Cap, releasing him after this season would cost him $65 million in dead money. If they keep him until the 2025 season, either as a starter or as a reserve, they could cut him after that season and incur only a $25 million dead cap hit.
The Falcons could try to trade Cousins this offseason. The Raiders, Titans and Giants are expected to draft a quarterback, but may be interested in bringing in a veteran to help with the transition. The Saints, Panthers and Jets could also make changes.
Cousins' track record of success will give him some value on the trade market despite ranking 17th in EPA per dropback (-0.05) this season. But his time ends in Atlanta. This was not what anyone had imagined.
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(Photo: Kevin Savitus/Getty Images)
