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Less than a day after being benched, Kirk Cousins expressed his commitment to supporting the Atlanta Falcons' new starting quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., in any way he can.
“He just said he's in my corner. Just like I said I was for him when I first got here,” Penix said of Cousins via a post in X (formerly Twitter) from Terrin Waack.
Penix Jr. shared that he was out shopping at Costco with his girlfriend when he received the call from Raheem Morris informing him that he’d be the Falcons' starting quarterback for the remainder of the season.
Cousins shared that he also had a phone conversation with head coach Raheem Morris on Tuesday evening, during which Morris informed him that Michael Penix Jr. would be the starting quarterback moving forward. Following the call, Cousins reached out to the rookie quarterback to offer his support.
Raheem Morris reason for choosing Michael Penix Jr. over Kirk Cousins
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris announced Tuesday that Michael Penix Jr. would take over as the team's starting quarterback following their 15-9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on “Monday Night Football.” Kirk Cousins, who struggled during the game with just 17 pass attempts, has thrown nine interceptions across his last five appearances.
Morris highlighted Kirk Cousins' turnovers as the key factor in the decision to bench him. Cousins leads the league with 16 interceptions and is tied with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield for the most fumbles in the NFL, with 12, making the mistakes too detrimental to ignore.
“It's pro football, and there's a standard that I have for myself, that the team has for me, that unfortunately, I wasn't playing up to that standard consistently enough,” said Cousins.
“And so, it is what it is, and you roll with it and now you still get ready — ‘one play away' kind of a thing — and support Mike and just try to help our team be able to find a way to win these last three to get in the playoffs, and that's what it's all about,” the Falcons quarterback said.
At 36 years old, Kirk Cousins acknowledged Morris's point about turnovers being a critical issue in the NFL. He emphasized that his struggles are not due to injury, clarifying that he is fully recovered from the torn Achilles he suffered in 2023.
The Atlanta Falcons this season
The Falcons hold a 7-7 record and currently sit in second place in the NFC South. With a tiebreaker advantage over the division-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they still maintain a 20% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to projections from ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI).
Penix has seen limited action in just two games this season, completing 3 of 5 passes for 38 yards. The 2023 Heisman Trophy runner-up showcased his talent at Washington, where he threw for 4,903 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Cousins began the season on a high note, guiding the Falcons to a 6-3 record and a lead in the division. Over the season, he has completed 66.9% of his passes, consistent with his career average across 13 seasons, while amassing 3,508 passing yards. However, his touchdown-to-interception ratio of 18 to 16 remains a concern.
Penix praised Cousins for the success he achieved this year and viewed joining the Falcons under his leadership as an opportunity to gain valuable insights from an experienced veteran.
