Falcons release Kirk Cousins 2 years into his 4-year, $180 million deal, making veteran QB a free agent
Falcons release Kirk Cousins 2 years into his 4-year, $180 million deal, making veteran QB a free agent
Chris Cwik Wed, March 11, 2026 at 8:43 PM UTC
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The Atlanta Falcons made waves in 2024 when the team signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal. At the time, the deal raised plenty of eyebrows. While Cousins had put up strong numbers to that point in his career, he was already in his mid-30s and coming off an Achilles injury.
Two years into that deal, the team is moving on. The Falcons confirmed Cousins' release on Wednesday, making the veteran quarterback a free agent.
The news shouldn't come as a major shock. New Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham told reporters in February that Cousins would be released at the start of the 2026 league year. The 2026 league year started on March 11 at 4 p.m. ET.
The move sends Cousins, 37, back to the free-agent market, where he's been able to secure massive contracts in the past. A repeat, however, seems unlikely thanks to Cousins' age and struggles in Atlanta. During his first year with the team coming off the injury, Cousins struggled, tossing 18 touchdowns against a league-leading 16 interceptions. He was benched down the stretch in favor of then-rookie Michael Penix Jr.
Penix was announced as the team's starter entering 2025, but an injury pushed Cousins into action down the stretch. The veteran put up solid numbers in 10 games, throwing for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
The Falcons on Monday agreed to terms on a one-year deal with left-handed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during the legal tampering period, giving them a solid bridge-gap, should Penix not be ready for the start of the year.
While the release presumably gives Cousins a chance to find another starting job, he'll have to compete with a number of veteran quarterbacks on the market. Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco are among the veteran passers still on the market this offseason. Of that group, Rodgers has the best shot of being guaranteed a starting job. The others — including Cousins — may have to settle for backup roles. Already there appears to be interest in Las Vegas, where Cousins could serve as a veteran presence for presumed No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
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Cousins has vastly outperformed his expectations after being selected by the Washington Commanders in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. While Cousins didn't play much during his first three years with the team due to the presence of Robert Griffin III, Cousins was elevated into the starting role in his fourth season.
He excelled, leading the league in completion percentage while throwing 29 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.
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That kicked off a stretch of near-elite play from Cousins. Between 2015 and 2022, Cousins averaged 4,263.8 passing yards, 29.3 touchdowns and 10.3 interceptions per season. He made four Pro Bowls over that period.
Cousins was off to yet another excellent start in 2023 with the Minnesota Vikings before sustaining a torn Achilles just eight games into the season. He hit the free-agent market at the end of the year and opted to sign with the Falcons. It was a questionable move at the time, considering Cousins' injury, and became even more puzzling when the team then selected Penix with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft months after signing Cousins.
Two years later, both moves look like mistakes. The team admitted as much with Cousins' release. And while Penix shouldn't be fully written off yet, he's already in a tough spot heading into his third NFL season, and could face competition against Tagovailoa, even if healthy.
While Cousins isn't guaranteed a starting role, he should draw interest on the market. Though he's shown signs of age-related decline, Cousins put up solid numbers in limited time last season. That performance should be enough for the veteran to latch on with another team, and maybe even lead that team to some crucial wins during the 2026 NFL season.
Source: “AOL Sports”
