Atlanta has a new QB1.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris confirmed in a statement Tuesday night that Michael Penix Jr. will be the team's starting quarterback moving forward, replacing the struggling Kirk Cousins.
Coach Morris has named Michael Penix Jr. the starting quarterback moving forward
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 18, 2024
"After review we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward," Morris said in the statement. "This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday's game against the New York Giants."
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The Falcons are 7-7, chasing the 8-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a playoff spot by winning the NFC South. Atlanta possesses the key head-to-head tiebreaker with a series sweep of Tampa Bay already.
Atlanta hosts the New York Giants, travels to the Washington Commanders and returns home against the Carolina Panthers. Tampa Bay is at the Dallas Cowboys, then hosts the Panthers and New Orleans Saints.
Cousins, 36, gets benched after throwing for 3,508 yards on a 66.9% completion percentage with 18 touchdowns and 16 picks, a career high. Prior to throwing a touchdown in a 15-9 win against the lowly Las Vegas Raiders, Cousins went four straight games without a scoring pass.
NFL
Instead, in those games he threw a combined eight picks, including a four-interception outing in a 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Atlanta paid Cousins $180 million over four years, a contract that included a $100 million guarantee. It was a move that drew wide criticism, with the deal already aging poorly before the end of his first season with the team.
If the Falcons cut Cousins before the 2025 league year begins, they would have $65 million in dead money. In a potential trade, the acquiring team would absorb his $27.5 million base salary, so Atlanta would be responsible for $37.5 million.
Atlanta could also release Cousins with a post-June 1 designation, which would split the dead money to $40 million in 2025 and $25 million in 2026.
