There will be a new quarterback in Atlanta.
Atlanta Falcons Head coach Raheem Morris announced his signing Michael Penix Jr. will be the starter for the team’s next match against the New York Giantswith Kirk Cousins walked towards the bench.
“After review, we have made the decision that Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons The starting quarterback is moving forward,” Morris said in a statement. “This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.”
The move follows a decline in Cousins’ play in recent weeks, particularly when it comes to turning the ball over. After Cousins guided Atlanta to a 6-3 start and an early lead in the NFC South, the Falcons dropped their next four games and lost control of the division. During the losing streak, Cousins threw eight interceptions and no touchdowns.
Cousins had the chance to change the narrative on Monday night against the Las Vegas Raidersbut the bad game continued. He eventually threw a touchdown pass, but he threw for just 112 yards — just 28 in the second half — and one interception in a game where the offense looked largely problematic.
After victory 15-9Morris told reporters that Cousins ”needs to play better.” When Morris spoke to the media on Tuesday, he was not engaged on Cousins keeping the starting job before announcing the change Tuesday night.
“We just got back (from Las Vegas),” he said. The Athletic’s Josh Kendall. “We still have to go through that process. All those things will happen throughout the week. We didn’t play well enough at quarterback.”
The future now seems uncertain for the Atlanta quarterback who signed a four-year, $180 million contract last offseason, with a $50 million signing bonus and a $100 million guarantee. If Atlanta released Cousins, it would cost them $65 million, by Above the Ceilingand he is also due to receive a $10 million bonus for 2026 if he is on the roster through March 17. A trade would require another team to be willing to take on the contract, or for Atlanta to offer to pay part of it.
Now the the quarterback drafted No. 8 overall This year’s draft pick will have the opportunity to make his case for retaining his position as Atlanta continues to contend for the division title. Old Washington Huskies The star who led the NCAA in passing yards in 2023 has played in just two games this season, relieving Cousins in blowout losses. He is 3-for-5 with 38 yards.
All the latest NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Kirk Cousins is on the bench, the Falcons accompany Michael Penix “moving forward”
