<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl-rumors-falcons-keeping-kirk-cousins-michael-penix-jr-s-backup-not-off-table');   ga('set', 'title', 'NFL rumors: Falcons keeping Kirk Cousins as Michael Penix Jr.’s backup ‘not off table’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NFL-rumors-Falcons-keeping-Kirk-Cousins-as-Michael-Penix-Jr.s-backup-not-off-table.jpg"></figure><h1>NFL rumors: Falcons keeping Kirk Cousins as Michael Penix Jr.’s backup ‘not off table’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-22T08:46:07-08:00">December 22nd, 8:46am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-22T08:46:07-08:00">December 22nd, 8:46am</time><address><a>Ben Strauss</a>Ben Strauss is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a die-hard NFL fan who cheers for the Detroit Lions. He has previously written fantasy football content for IDPGuys and ImportantNonsense.com.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Falcons are in a tight race during the final weeks of the regular season. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl-power-rankings-week-16-bills-win-shootout-seahawks-struggle">Atlanta is 7-7 heading into Week 16</a> and is in a tight race with Tampa Bay for the NFC South division title. The Falcons have to keep winning during the final three weeks of the regular season to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfc-playoff-picture-after-rams-take-control-of-nfc-west-in-week-15">have a chance at a playoff berth in the NFC</a>.</p><p>The Falcons will have to win those games with rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. as their new starter. Atlanta announced earlier this week that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-benches-kirk-cousins-favor-of-michael-penix-jr">Kirk Cousins in benched in favor of the rookie</a>.</p><p>But what will the Falcons deal with this situation after the 2024 season? Atlanta has a number of different options for dealing with the Kirk Cousins situation this offseason. NFL insider Ian Rapoport <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/weighing-atlanta-s-options-as-falcons-transition-from-kirk-cousins-to-michael-penix-jr-as-starting-qb" rel="noopener">laid out a number of possibilities</a> in a recent article on NFL.com.</p><p>One option Rapoport mentioned was the Falcons keeping Cousins as the backup for Michael Penix Jr.</p><p>“Cousins has been a model teammate in the building, especially this week. He’s sat in the same seat in team meetings and has remained a leader. He has helped mentor Penix and this week upon a demotion, ran the scout team. That could pave the way to them keeping him as a backup — since they have already paid him, anyway,” Rapoport argued.</p><p>This theory does conflict with reporting from Adam Schefter this week that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl-rumors-falcons-will-release-kirk-cousins">suggests the Falcons will cut Kirk Cousins before March 17th</a>. This would save the Falcons from paying Cousins a $10 million bonus.</p><h2><b>Would Kirk Cousins becoming a backup QB work for him and the Falcons in 2025?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kirk-Cousins_f84c62.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>On the surface, this is obviously the easiest option for the Falcons to move forward with. This is largely because it requires them to make no changes this offseason.</p><p>However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-remaining-backup-2025-gets-stern-appraisal">not everyone is convinced that this plan would actually work out</a>.</p><p>ESPN’s Marc Raimondi believes that Cousins will be a supportive mentor for the remainder of the 2024 season. He does not think that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl-rumors-falcons-will-release-kirk-cousins" rel="noopener">grace would carry over into next season</a>.</p><p>“For the remaining three weeks of the season, Cousins said he’ll offer his support to Penix and the team. After that, things are very much up in the air, and the chances the 13-year veteran returns to the Falcons as a backup seem slim,” Raimondi said Friday.</p><p>Cousins has not been known to be a dramatic quarterback earlier in this career. That said, he’s never found himself in this situation before.</p><p>It will be interesting to see how the Falcons approach the upcoming offseason. Whichever decision they make about Kirk Cousins will likely be the first domino to fall.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NFL rumors: Falcons keeping Kirk Cousins as Michael Penix Jr.’s backup ‘not off table’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/falcons-news-atlanta-change-offense-michael-penix-jr-benching-kirk-cousins');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Falcons will change offense for Michael Penix Jr. after benching Kirk Cousins');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/0How-Atlanta-will-change-offense-for-Michael-Penix-Jr.-after-benching-Kirk-Cousins-0.jpg"></figure><h1>How Falcons will change offense for Michael Penix Jr. after benching Kirk Cousins</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-22T08:26:20-08:00">December 22nd, 8:26am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-22T08:26:20-08:00">December 22nd, 8:26am</time><address><a href="https://medium.com/bingeable">Sonny Giuliano</a>Sonny Giuliano is an experienced sports writer for ClutchPoints who has been covering the NFL, NCAA Football, NBA, and NCAA Basketball for well over a decade. Originally from the small town of Elba, New York, Sonny received his degree from Florida Gulf Coast University and currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After just 14 subpar games, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-benches-kirk-cousins-favor-of-michael-penix-jr">the Falcons made the decision to bench Kirk Cousins</a> in favor of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/meet-michael-penix-jr-the-falcons-no-8-pick-in-2024-nfl-draft">8th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Michael Penix Jr.</a>, a 2023 Heisman Trophy finalist and presumptive future face of the franchise in Atlanta. The move comes at an interesting point in the season, as the 7-7 Falcons are very much in the mix for a postseason berth, yet they’re willingly turning the car keys over to a rookie who has just five regular season pass attempts to his name.</p><p>Now in fairness, you could say that Kirk Cousins forced Atlanta’s hand with a disastrous five week stretch in which he threw just one touchdown to nine interceptions as the Falcons went from 6-3 to 7-7 as fast as you could say, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-atlanta-edition-you-like-that-celebration-not-as-iconic">“You Like That?”</a> Even still, making the change to Penix does not come without risk, as Atlanta will need to tailor their offense to the big-armed lefty in a short period of time ahead of Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.</p><p>But that doesn’t mean that Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and his staff in Atlanta isn’t up to the challenge, in large part because they’ve been <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/weighing-atlanta-s-options-as-falcons-transition-from-kirk-cousins-to-michael-penix-jr-as-starting-qb" rel="noopener">preparing Penix for this moment</a> all year long, and they believe, “mentally, he is ready.”</p><p>According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, since the preseason, Penix has been practicing with the same listening device in his helmet as Kirk Cousins, allowing the rookie to, “get his mental reps that way, run the scout team, but then go back and watch the film of what Cousins has done and go through it himself.”</p><p>Additionally, there will be changes on Sunday in how Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson calls the game with Michael Penix Jr. in at quarterback as opposed to Cousins, who hasn’t displayed the arm strength this season he once showed in Minnesota prior to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-kirk-cousins-carted-locker-room-packers-ankle-achilles-injury">a season-ending achilles tear in the 2023 season</a>.</p><p>“While they’ll likely focus on core plays he likes and knows well, expect an attempt at more deep throws and big plays. There will also likely be more play-action,” Rapoport writes. “Atlanta loved Penix’s arm talent in the pre-draft process, and viewed him overall as a prospect near Jayden Daniels’ level. They expect big things, and from those who have observed practice, players can feel the optimism, too.”</p><p>This could end up being the move that saves Atlanta’s season, but even if it is, it will raise the question as to why it took Raheem Morris and co. so long to pull the trigger on benching Cousins for Penix.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Falcons will change offense for Michael Penix Jr. after benching Kirk Cousins

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl-rumors-falcons-will-release-kirk-cousins');   ga('set', 'title', 'NFL rumors: Falcons will release Kirk Cousins');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NFL-rumors-Falcons-will-release-Kirk-Cousins.jpg"></figure><h1>NFL rumors: Falcons will release Kirk Cousins</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T07:33:22-08:00">December 21st, 7:33am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T07:33:22-08:00">December 21st, 7:33am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Less than a year after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grading-kirk-cousins-4-year-180-million-contract-with-falcons">signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract,</a> the Atlanta Falcons are reportedly planning to release Cousins.</p><p>ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported today that Atlanta <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43081294/sources-falcons-expected-cut-kirk-cousins-10m-bonus-due" rel="noopener">is expected to</a> release Cousins before March 17, when he is due a $10 million bonus.</p><p>“Kirk Cousins’ divorce from the Falcons is expected to be finalized before his $10 million roster bonus is due March 17, with executives across the NFL fully expecting Atlanta to release him by then,” Schefter wrote.</p><p>“The split between Cousins and the Falcons is inevitable at this point, according to multiple sources.”</p><p>Schefter also said Cousins is not expected to help out the Falcons, who signed him to a deal with $90 million guaranteed and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-contract-very-tradable-per-nfl-insider">a no-trade clause just nine months ago</a>. One month after his signing, Cousins was blindsided by Atlanta drafting Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick.</p><p>Cousins and the Falcons began the 2024 season well enough; the veteran quarterback threw for 2,328 yards and 17 touchdowns as Atlanta jumped out to a 6-3 start, good enough for first place in the NFC South. However, over the last month or so, Cousins has struggled mightily, and as a result, the Falcons have sunk in the standings.</p><p>Once the frontrunner to win the division, Atlanta lost four straight, a streak during which Cousins threw zero touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Additionally, the Falcons averaged 14.3 points per game during that four-game skid.</p><p>Despite the team’s troubles over the past five weeks, the Falcons are still only one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team the Falcons beat both times this year, in the NFC North. But Cousins will likely not get another chance to lead Atlanta to the playoffs, as Falcons head coach <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-benches-kirk-cousins-favor-of-michael-penix-jr">Raheem Morris named Penix the team’s new starting quarterback</a>.</p><p>When he is released, a logical landing spot for Cousins would seem to be the Cleveland Browns, whose head coach, Kevin Stefanski, worked with Cousins when the former was the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator before leaving for Cleveland. Browns starting quarterback Deshaun Watson went down with a season-ending Achilles injury earlier this year, and the Browns have struggled at the position with and without Watson.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NFL rumors: Falcons will release Kirk Cousins

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/falcons-news-drake-london-blunt-reaction-michael-penix-kirk-cousins-change');   ga('set', 'title', 'Falcons star Drake London’s blunt reaction to Michael Penix-Kirk Cousins change');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Falcons-news-Drake-Londons-blunt-reaction-to-Michael-Penix-Kirk-Cousins-change.jpg"></figure><h1>Falcons star Drake London’s blunt reaction to Michael Penix-Kirk Cousins change</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T13:04:49-08:00">December 20th, 1:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T14:15:25-08:00">December 20th, 2:15pm</time><address><a>Dan Fappiano</a>Dan Fappiano is a Connecticut based sports journalist and a graduate of both Tunxis Community College and Central Connecticut State University. Dan has spent time covering high school and professional sports in both the print and online medium. He hopes to see his beloved Chicago Bears win a Super Bowl someday.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>When the Atlanta Falcons take on the New York Giants in Week 16, rookie <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-benches-kirk-cousins-favor-of-michael-penix-jr">Michael Penix will be replacing Kirk Cousins under center</a>. But for star wide receiver Drake London, he won’t even notice the difference.</p><p>It certainly won’t be the same catching passes from Penix compared to Cousins. But as long as London is getting the ball, <a href="https://x.com/Bryce_Lewis86/status/1870109670087503978" rel="noopener">he’ll be happy</a>, via Bryce Lewis of Sporting News.</p><p>“I don’t take QB changes in any way,” London said. “How I look at it is, ‘Just catch the ball.’ Whoever throws me the ball, I don’t really care, just as long as it gets there and it’s catchable.”</p><p>London has looked quite impressive with Cousins at quarterback. Through 14 games, he has caught 78 passes for 919 yards and seven touchdowns. All three stats are already career-highs. London also ranks tied for 11th in receiving touchdowns and 15th in yardage. His only hope is that the change to Penix doesn’t deflate his gaudy receiving numbers.</p><p>While London played well with Cousins, Atlanta was forced into the move based on the quarterback’s play. He threw four interceptions against the Los Angeles Chargers before another two against the Minnesota Vikings. Against the Los Angeles Raiders, Cousins had just one pick and even threw a touchdown. But his lethargic 112 yards passing ultimately sent him to the bench.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-anonymous-gm-calls-atlanta-children-drafting-michael-penix-jr">Falcons got plenty of flack for drafting Michael Penix</a> when they had already signed Kirk Cousins. But now they’ll have an opportunity to see exactly what they have in the rookie. His final season at Washington saw him throw for 4,903 yards and 36 touchdowns. He won the Maxwell Award for his efforts.</p><p>At 7-7, Atlanta is still pushing for a playoff spot in battling with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the NFC South’s top spot. Raheem Morris and company believe Penix gives the Falcons the best chance to succeed. If things are flowing offensively, London agrees.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Falcons star Drake London’s blunt reaction to Michael Penix-Kirk Cousins change

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-remaining-backup-2025-gets-stern-appraisal');   ga('set', 'title', 'Falcons’ Kirk Cousins remaining backup with Atlanta in 2025 gets stern appraisal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/0Kirk-Cousins-remaining-backup-with-Atlanta-in-2025-gets-stern-appraisal0.jpg"></figure><h1>Falcons’ Kirk Cousins remaining backup with Atlanta in 2025 gets stern appraisal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T11:30:49-08:00">December 20th, 11:30am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T11:33:52-08:00">December 20th, 11:33am</time><address><a>Derek Hryn</a>Derek Hryn is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints specializing in NFL and NCAA Football coverage. Derek was previously a fantasy football expert at DK and SB Nation, and he has been featured at FanSided, USA Today, NBC Sports, The New York Post, and others.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Falcons’ recent decision at starting quarterback has sparked some serious debate about the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-message-michael-penix-jr-after-benching">franchise’s plans for Kirk Cousins moving forward</a>. After 14 appearances under center, head coach Raheem Morris announced that the Falcons are benching Cousins <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-michael-penix-jr-found-out-hed-replace-kirk-cousins-at-costco">for rookie first-round pick Michael Penix Jr</a>.</p><p>Cousins has struggled through the second half of the season, throwing just one touchdown and nine interceptions in the last five games. A change was long overdue, as the Falcons sit at 7-7, and one loss away from missing the NFC playoffs. Playing on a freshly-inked $180 million contract over four years, both sides may have to continue an alternate future.</p><p>Penix is set to make his first NFL start after just a few regular season appearances. He entered in the Falcons’ Week 11 blowout loss to the Denver Broncos, where he flashed potential. The Washington product completed two of his four passes for 24 yards.</p><p>His Week 16 showing against the lowly New York Giants defense will be watched with massive interest. One thing’s for certain, the Falcons are going to bear <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43066728/nfl-atlanta-falcons-qb-kirk-cousins-salary-cap-michael-penix-jr" rel="noopener">a much different outlook</a> after Sunday.</p><p>“For the remaining three weeks of the season, Cousins said he’ll offer his support to Penix and the team. After that, things are very much up in the air, and the chances the 13-year veteran returns to the Falcons as a backup seem slim,” according to ESPN’s Mike Raimondi.</p><p>Cousins’ no-trade clause offers a chance for him to have slice of control in his future, and he can discuss his preferred destinations to the Falcons organization.</p><h2><b>Falcons move forward with Kirk Cousins as backup</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kirk-Cousins_f84c62.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>If things do go that way, then the Falcons’ front office has only itself to blame. This was always a potential scenario, ever since Penix was drafted with the No. 8 pick in April. Given, Cousins was signed a month prior, so it was always expected what type of hysteria this would eventually bring.</p><p>“You are kind of one day at a time right now, and you kind of always are in this league,” Cousins said, “and in the offseason, that’s when conversations happen, but we’re not there yet.”</p><p>The Falcons need to win their last three games in order to stand a chance at winning the NFC South, and securing a playoff berth. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are cruising right now as one of the league’s hottest teams, but still sit just one game ahead of Atlanta at 8-6.</p><p>Penix would need to lift the team over the Giants, Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers to conclude the regular season. Each of those are winnable matchups, which makes this situation all the more riveting.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Falcons’ Kirk Cousins remaining backup with Atlanta in 2025 gets stern appraisal

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/falcons-news-michael-penix-jr-found-out-hed-replace-kirk-cousins-at-costco');   ga('set', 'title', 'Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. found out he’d replace Kirk Cousins at Costco');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Michael-Penix-Jr.-found-out-hed-replace-Kirk-Cousins-at-Costco.jpg"></figure><h1>Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. found out he’d replace Kirk Cousins at Costco</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-19T06:19:37-08:00">December 19th, 6:19am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-19T06:19:37-08:00">December 19th, 6:19am</time><address><a>Ben Strauss</a>Ben Strauss is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a die-hard NFL fan who cheers for the Detroit Lions. He has previously written fantasy football content for IDPGuys and ImportantNonsense.com.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Falcons are in a tight race over the final three weeks of the regular season. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl-power-rankings-week-16-bills-win-shootout-seahawks-struggle">Atlanta is 7-7 heading into Week 16</a> and is just one game behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South division race. Winning the division is the only way that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfc-playoff-picture-after-rams-take-control-of-nfc-west-in-week-15">Falcons can make the playoffs in a stacked NFC</a>. The Falcons recently made a huge move at quarterback to try and get over the hump.</p><p>Atlanta decided to bench Kirk Cousins for first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr. The rookie quarterback <a href="https://x.com/ksugiuraajc/status/1869528848595083405" rel="noopener">shared a hilarious story about where he was</a> when he received the news.</p><p>“I was shopping with my girlfriend—we was at Costco,” Penix Jr. said via Ken Sugiura of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I got the call, they told me I was gonna be the starting quarterback for the rest of the season. As you can imagine, it was some nerves and excitement, but just super blessed to be in this position.”</p><p>Penix Jr. is just like the rest of us. He was apparently in line to get a famous $1.50 Costco hot dog when he received the call.</p><p>“When I got the call (that I would start), I wasn’t hungry no more,” Penix Jr. concluded.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/meet-michael-penix-jr-the-falcons-no-8-pick-in-2024-nfl-draft">Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick</a> in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was bound to see the field eventually during his rookie season after being drafted so highly.</p><h2><b>Kirk Cousins responds to Falcons benching him for Michael Penix Jr.</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Penix-throwing.jpg"><figcaption>Dale Zanine-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Of course, this is bad news for Kirk Cousins. The <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43047253/falcons-kirk-cousins-called-michael-penix-jr-support-rookie-falcons-qb1" rel="noopener">veteran quarterback gave a classy answer</a> when asked about his situation this week.</p><p>“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,” Cousins said via ESPN’s Marc Raimondi.</p><p>Now Cousins will transition into becoming the best mentor and backup he can be for Penix Jr. and the Falcons.</p><p>“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 Cousins concluded.</p><p>It will be interesting to see if the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-contract-very-tradable-per-nfl-insider">Falcons explore trading Cousins during the offseason</a>. But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.</p><p>Next up for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/atlanta-falcons/schedule/upcoming">Falcons is a Week 16 matchup against the Giants</a>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. found out he’d replace Kirk Cousins at Costco

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-message-michael-penix-jr-after-benching');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kirk Cousins’ message to Michael Penix Jr. after benching');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Falcons-news-Kirk-Cousins-message-to-Michael-Penix-Jr.jpg"></figure><h1>Kirk Cousins’ message to Michael Penix Jr. after benching</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-19T01:20:50-08:00">December 19th, 1:20am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-19T01:20:50-08:00">December 19th, 1:20am</time><address><a>Nathan Yasis</a>Nathan Yasis is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints, specializing in the NBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>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.</p><p>“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 <a href="https://x.com/TerrinWaack/status/1869526938303574323" rel="noopener">via a post in</a> X (formerly Twitter) from Terrin Waack.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><h2><b>Raheem Morris reason for choosing Michael Penix Jr. over Kirk Cousins</b></h2><p>Falcons head coach Raheem Morris announced Tuesday that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/why-falcons-benching-kirk-cousins-for-michael-penix-jr-not-right-move">Michael Penix Jr. would take over as the team’s starting quarterback</a> 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.</p><p>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.</p><p>“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.</p><p>“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.</p><p>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.</p><h2><b>The Atlanta Falcons this season</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Falcons-Kirk-Cousins-and-Michael-Penix-during-warmups.jpg"><figcaption>Dale Zanine-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>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).</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-zac-robinson-breakdown-michael-penix-jr-takeover">Penix has seen limited action in just two games this season</a>, 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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kirk Cousins’ message to Michael Penix Jr. after benching

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/why-falcons-benching-kirk-cousins-for-michael-penix-jr-not-right-move');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Falcons benching Kirk Cousins for Michael Penix Jr. is not the right move');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Why-Falcons-benching-Kirk-Cousins-for-Michael-Penix-Jr.-is-not-the-right-move-1.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Falcons benching Kirk Cousins for Michael Penix Jr. is not the right move</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T19:54:17-08:00">December 18th, 7:54pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T19:54:17-08:00">December 18th, 7:54pm</time><address><a>Andrew Kulha</a>Andrew Kulha has been a professional sports writer since 2010. His work has been featured in publications such as Bleacher Report, 247Sports, Yardbarker, Forbes, Saturday Tradition, Saturday Down South, Prep Hoops and many others.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Kirk Cousins was the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/raheem-morris-kirk-cousins-plea-after-falcons-ugly-win-over-raiders">starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons</a> when they beat the Las Vegas Raiders 15-9 on Monday Night Football in Week 15. It was an important win for the Falcons because it improved their record to 7-7 and helped them keep pace with the 8-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who currently own the top spot in the NFC South.</p><p>Though 7-7 is nothing to write home about, the Falcons do own the tiebreaker over the Buccaneers, and according to ESPN’s Football Power Index projections, Atlanta does at least still have some playoff hope. Well, about <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/fpi/_/view/projections/sort/projections.probmakeplayoffs/dir/desc" rel="noopener">20% of it</a>, at least.</p><p>One would think that playoff hope plus the four-year, $180 million contract (with about $100 million in guarantees) <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-contract-very-tradable-per-nfl-insider">the Falcons gave Cousins this offseason</a> would be enough to give him a chance to try to pull off this playoff miracle. On Tuesday, though, head coach <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-benches-kirk-cousins-favor-of-michael-penix-jr">Raheem Morris announced</a> that rookie quarterback <a href="https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/atlanta-falcons-name-michael-penix-jr-the-starting-quarterback-kirk-cousins" rel="noopener">Michael Penix Jr. would be the starter</a> for the rest of this season.</p><p>“After review we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward,” Morris said in a statement on the team website. “This was a football decision, and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.”</p><p>Morris called it a “football decision,” and on the surface, giving the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft the reigns over a struggling veteran with three games left does make some football sense—if you were to go off numbers only, that is.</p><p>Cousins leads the league with 16 interceptions. He’s thrown nine in his past five games, compared to just one touchdown. He’s also fumbled 12 times this season. Overall, those are numbers that would get any quarterback benched, massive paycheck and veteran status not withstanding</p><p>So in that way, it does make sense that the Falcons want to give Penix a shot. He was a Heisman candidate at Washington and <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/michael-penix-jr-1.html?__hstc=223721476.cef0a78a599bfe30e726a69f15ce0795.1718397448047.1734577909982.1734580377321.541&amp;__hssc=223721476.1.1734580377321&amp;__hsfp=1326681128" rel="noopener">put up 9,544 yards and 67 touchdowns</a> to just 19 interceptions in his two seasons with the Huskies. He also led them to the College Football Playoffs National Championship, where they ultimately fell to Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines.</p><p>Penix is a proven baller and winner, but he’s also a rookie. So let’s reframe that statement: He <i>was</i> a proven baller and winner in college. He was a great college quarterback, but he’s proven nothing in the NFL so far. Sure, the Falcons want to give him this chance in hopes that he’ll step up to the occasion and lead them to the promised land — or the playoffs, at the very least —  but there are a few reasons to believe that this is not the right moment.</p><h2><b>Why the Falcons should have stuck with Kirk Cousins </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kirk-Cousins-is-no-longer-the-Falcons-starting-quarterback-1.jpg"><figcaption>Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Forget Cousins’ stats for the moment. They’re putrid, but lost in the woods of those terrible numbers is a quarterback who does know how to win in this league. This is a guy who has been in the NFL since 2012, and he’s played in some big games going back to his time with Washington and then the Minnesota Vikings. Yes, he’s 1-4 in the playoffs as a starter, but the point here is that he’s actually led teams to the playoffs.</p><p>With the Falcons walking the razor’s edge to try to make it in 2014, perhaps tossing the quarterback with 13 years of experience in the waste bin is a bit of a short-sighted move.</p><p>Again, though, it’s hard to defend Cousins’ production — or lack thereof — in 2024. If we’re calling this a “football decision,” though, there also has to be a recognition of the human and emotional element of this game.</p><p>The Falcons, knowingly or not, have told Penix that these ride-or-die next three games to maybe make the playoffs are all him. That’s a big burden to carry for a rookie quarterback. Penix is 24 years old, so he’s a bit older than some rookie quarterbacks – for instance, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels are both 23 – but by going “all in” on Penix at this point of the season, the Falcons are basically saying that even the potential failures of this season are on him.</p><p>That’s a risky game to play with a quarterback you spent a ton of draft capital on because there is story after story of young quarterbacks being “broken in” too early in the NFL, and that ends up killing their confidence and potential. Just look at Sam Darnold, who was essentially ruined by the New York Jets. He’s had a career resurgence with the Minnesota Vikings, but he’s also now seven years into his NFL career. Geno Smith would be another good example, too, and the list goes on and on.</p><p>It takes a while with quarterbacks, and the Falcons were “supposedly’ on the Green Bay Packers’ plan of drafting, stashing and developing a young and talented quarterback so that he could watch someone else take those lumps while they catch up to the speed of being a pro.</p><p>There’s always the potential that Penix goes 3-0 in these next three games and a column like this looks too conservative and pessimistic. The major risk the Falcons are running, though, is that he looks like a rookie quarterback and goes 0-3 while tanking their hopes of making the playoffs.</p><p>Like it or not, Cousins would be a much better scapegoat in that scenario because he’s not being billed as the long-term option in Atlanta. He can lose a few games and miss the playoffs and eventually, everyone would move on. If Penix doesn’t succeed, though — and the odds suggest he’s going to need some time to acclimate himself — he’ll be taking a massive and unnecessary hit to his psyche. NFL history suggests that it will take quite a few years to recover from, if it ever does come back around at all.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Falcons benching Kirk Cousins for Michael Penix Jr. is not the right move

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/jets-news-aaron-rodgers-fuels-retirement-rumors-discussing-kirk-cousins-benching');   ga('set', 'title', 'Aaron Rodgers fuels retirement rumors while discussing Kirk Cousins’ benching');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Aaron-Rodgers-fuels-retirement-rumors-while-discussing-Kirk-Cousins-benching.jpg"></figure><h1>Aaron Rodgers fuels retirement rumors while discussing Kirk Cousins’ benching</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T14:57:44-08:00">December 18th, 2:57pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T14:57:44-08:00">December 18th, 2:57pm</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. A die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic, Brayden further channels his baseball enthusiasm through his podcast, where he delves into the latest in sports with engaging commentary. He also serves as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School. His commitment to sports journalism is evident in his diverse experiences with ContraCosta.news and his dedication to delivering compelling and insightful content.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/jets-news-aaron-rodgers-take-nfl-future-potential-pay-cut-stay-ny">New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers is no stranger to headlines</a>, and his latest comments have only added fuel to the speculation surrounding his future with the Jets. When asked about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-breaks-silence-after-benching">Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins’</a> recovery from his Achilles injury, Rodgers made an <a href="https://x.com/ZackBlatt/status/1869481424232829383" rel="noopener">eyebrow-raising remark</a> about his own plans.</p><p>“Kirk Cousins will be better next year since he’ll be further away from his Achilles injury and feels he has a lot of good years left in him,” Rodgers said. When asked if the same could apply to him, the 40-year-old quarterback replied, “It’s possible. I might be on the beach though,” via Zack Rosenblatt on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Rodgers’ response comes as the Jets continue to navigate a tumultuous season. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/why-jets-win-jaguars-does-not-prove-aaron-rodgers-tenure-salvaged">With a 4-10 record and a last-place spot in the AFC East</a>, the Jets have struggled to find consistency. Despite a recent 32-25 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, they remain one of the league’s most underwhelming teams, leaving questions about Rodgers’ long-term future with the franchise.</p><h2><b>2024 could be the last season Aaron Rodgers plays for the Jets</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Aaron-Rodgers-and-Kirk-Cousins.jpg"><figcaption>Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The veteran quarterback addressed his potential retirement during a press conference on Wednesday, taking a cautious approach. “I’m going to take some time after the year, unless I get released right away,” Rodgers said. “But I’ll still take some time [to determine] whether I want to play.”</p><p>Rodgers is currently in the second year of a three-year, $112.5 million deal, with $75 million guaranteed. If the Jets were to move on from him this offseason, they’d face a significant $49 million dead-cap hit. With the team’s draft position and future plans hanging in the balance, Rodgers’ status could become a focal point in the Jets’ offseason decision-making.</p><p>On the field, Rodgers has <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/aaron-rodgers-says-one-thing-would-force-make-sudden-retirement-decision" rel="noopener">shown flashes of his former brilliance</a> despite a challenging season. He has completed 62.5% of his passes for 3,255 yards, with an impressive 32-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He credited his offensive line for his improved performance in recent weeks, stating, “Having the core intact has been really good for those guys playing next to each other. That was probably their best pass-blocking game they had of the season. It’s always nice for me.”</p><p>However, the Jets’ broader struggles, coupled with speculation about a coaching and front-office overhaul, complicate Rodgers’ future with the team. With ownership already making significant changes, including firing head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, Rodgers could find himself at the center of a roster revamp. For now, the NFL world awaits Rodgers’ next move. Whether he stays in New York, finds a new team, or retires to the beach, the Jets’ quarterback continues to command attention both on and off the field.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Aaron Rodgers fuels retirement rumors while discussing Kirk Cousins’ benching

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-gets-brutally-honest-on-future-with-atlanta');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kirk Cousins gets brutally honest on future with the Falcons');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kirk-Cousins-gets-brutally-honest-on-future-with-Atlanta.jpg"></figure><h1>Kirk Cousins gets brutally honest on future with the Falcons</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T14:04:25-08:00">December 18th, 2:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T14:04:25-08:00">December 18th, 2:04pm</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/giants-vs-falcons-predictions-pick-odds-spread-for-nfl-week-16-2024">Atlanta Falcons will take on the New York Giants</a> this Sunday, there will be a new quarterback under center as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-benches-kirk-cousins-favor-of-michael-penix-jr">Kirk Cousins has been benched for Michael Penix Jr.</a>, the rookie taken with the seventh overall pick. As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-breaks-silence-after-benching">Cousins broke his silence following the Falcons’ announcement,</a> he would also speak about his future with the organization.</p><p>Cousins is currently experiencing a rough part of the season as besides barely scraping by the Las Vegas Raiders last Monday, he had a four-game stretch where he had zero touchdown passes and eight interceptions. The Falcons veteran signal-caller would be asked about the future and say that after the season is the time to have<a href="https://x.com/tori_mcelhaney/status/1869491799196348573" rel="noopener"> “those conversations”</a> and emphasize he <a href="https://x.com/tori_mcelhaney/status/1869492153485074706" rel="noopener">“didn’t forget how to play,”</a> according to Tori McElhaney.</p><p>“It’s one day at a time right now. The offseason is when those conversations happen,” Cousins said. “I didn’t forget how to play quarterback. … I didn’t forget how to play.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-raheem-morris-leaves-door-open-qb-switch-kirk-cousins">Falcons head coach Raheem Morris wouldn’t rule out</a> a quarterback change after the 15-9 win over the Raiders, but the team made the official decision on Tuesday. A statement would read that Penix will take over starting quarterback duties starting Sunday against the Giants, as said before.</p><p>“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.”</p><h2><b>Falcons’ Raheem Morris explains the quarterback change</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kirk-Cousins-on-Dec.-16-2024.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>People originally questioned the decision of the team to draft Penix with the seventh overall pick in the last NFL Draft, where just in that offseason, the Falcons signed Cousins to a sizable contract. With the inefficiencies, it is possible that the team saw the current situation incoming and wanted to get their possible future as Morris <a href="https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/atlanta-falcons-name-michael-penix-jr-the-starting-quarterback-kirk-cousins" rel="noopener">spoke Tuesday about the change</a> that shocked the football world.</p><p>“We didn’t play particularly well at the quarterback position,” Morris said via the team’s website. “We didn’t play well (Monday) at that spot. I like to be open and honest about those things. It’s always going to be those question marks. It’s always going to be those question marks when it comes to head coach when it comes to the quarterback. And you got to be really transparent about it. We got to play better. I think that’s the thing that’s got to be put out there, that we got to play better, and that’s the thing that’s got to be addressed. This thing’s got to happen in order for us to find ways to win versus our next opponent, which is the New York Giants.”</p><p>So far this season, Cousins has thrown for 3,508 yards (seventh in the NFL) to go along with 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions as with three games left, it could be the end of the year for the 36-year-old. The Falcons are still in the playoff hunt and even one game off from the NFC South if they can stack wins in the last three games.</p><p>Atlanta is 7-7, which puts them second to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are 8-6, as Penix can shock people and lead the team to the postseason with some help from the outside.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kirk Cousins gets brutally honest on future with the Falcons

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-breaks-silence-after-benching');   ga('set', 'title', 'Falcons’ Kirk Cousins breaks silence after benching');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Falcons-news-Kirk-Cousins-finds-silver-lining-from-ugly-loss-to-Vikings.jpg"></figure><h1>Falcons’ Kirk Cousins breaks silence after benching</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T13:26:30-08:00">December 18th, 1:26pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-19T12:32:26-08:00">December 19th, 12:32pm</time><address><a>Matty Breisch</a>Matty Breisch is a multifaceted writer who specializes in NFL and WWE content at ClutchPoints. He can be read at Heavy, FanSided, Philadelphia Sports Network, and right here at ClutchPoints. Are you ready to read about football and wrestling? Well, you've come to the right place.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>When news broke that the Atlanta Falcons planned to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-benches-kirk-cousins-favor-of-michael-penix-jr" rel="noopener">bench veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins</a> just months after signing him to a nine-figure contract <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/why-falcons-raheem-morris-didnt-want-to-bench-kirk-cousins-michael-penix-jr">in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr.</a>, it took the NFL world by storm.</p><p>Now granted, despite his pedigree, Cousins has been downright bad for the Falcons as of late, throwing nine interceptions over the past five games versus just one passing touchdown and has been without question the reason for the Falcons collapse mere weeks after he looked like the team’s saving grace.</p><p>Addressing the media for the first time since his benching, Cousins explained what went wrong in Atlanta and why he was told he<a href="https://x.com/tori_mcelhaney/status/1869490739148980373" rel="noopener"> was being demoted</a> in favor of an unproven left-handed rookie out of the PAC-12.</p><p>“It’s pro football, and there’s a standard that I have for myself and the organization has for me, and I wasn’t playing up to that standard,” Cousins said via Tori McElhaney.</p><p>Asked about his recent turnover issues and if they are related to his lingering issues from last season, Cousins said no, noting that it all come down to one thing: <a href="https://x.com/tori_mcelhaney/status/1869491284966326327" rel="noopener">decision-making</a>.</p><p>“It’s probably decision-making more than anything,” Cousins told reporters.</p><p>Now, when the Falcons decided to draft Penix eighth overall in the 2024 NFL draft, many fans thought GM Terry Fontenot was crazy. Why, fans wondered, would Atlanta invest a first-round pick in a second-tier quarterback when they just signed a top-15 quarterback and had a desperate need for ready-made contributors as they made a push for the playoffs?</p><p>Considering the Falcons’ roster was already the best in the NFC South, adding a player like Jared Verse or Quinyon Mitchell, many fans surmised, would have improved their chances at making a run and maybe even get the team to the Super Bowl for the first time this decade.</p><p>While only time will tell if this decision was ultimately the correct one, it’s clear Cousins isn’t the guy moving forward, and the Falcons now have a chance to see if Penix, a College Football Playoffs participant from earlier this calendar year, can win out down the stretch and go on a Brock Purdy-style playoff run.</p><p>Considering how often Cousins has been linked to Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers’ current status as the worst team in the NFC West, there’s some irony in there somewhere.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Falcons’ Kirk Cousins breaks silence after benching

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-contract-very-tradable-per-nfl-insider');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kirk Cousins’ Falcons contract is ‘very tradable’ according to NFL Insider');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/0-Kirk-Cousins-contract-is-%E2%80%98very-tradable-according-to-NFL-Insider-0.jpg"></figure><h1>Kirk Cousins’ Falcons contract is ‘very tradable’ according to NFL Insider</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T12:43:02-08:00">December 18th, 12:43pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T12:43:02-08:00">December 18th, 12:43pm</time><address><a>Ben Strauss</a>Ben Strauss is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a die-hard NFL fan who cheers for the Detroit Lions. He has previously written fantasy football content for IDPGuys and ImportantNonsense.com.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Falcons need to start stacking some wins to close the 2024 season. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl-power-rankings-week-16-bills-win-shootout-seahawks-struggle">Atlanta is 7-7 heading into Week 16</a> and have fallen behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South division race. The Falcons need to win out, plus hope for a little help from the Buccaneers, if they want to win the division and make the postseason. That may be difficult with a rookie quarterback at the helm.</p><p>NFL insider Mike Florio <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn_Yo8lWz-c&amp;t=408s&amp;ab_channel=NFLonNBC" rel="noopener">dropped some interesting analysis</a> of Kirk Cousins’ contract with the Falcons. Florio believes that Cousins is tradable as long as he does not get hurt during the final weeks of the regular season.</p><p>“I studied the contract and saw after one year this is very tradable,” Florio said on Wednesday via Pro Football Talk. “$27.5 million next year fully guaranteed. There is another $10 million that’s injury guaranteed for 2026 that becomes fully guaranteed March 5 of this year. So an injury would get them on the hook for the extra $10 million if he can’t pass a physical by March 5. About the fifth day of the league year. So they’re basically looking at $27.5 million and if they don’t trade him by the time that $10 million vests. Or cut him by then another $10 million on top of it. It works out to a total of $100 million dollars when you throw in the extra $10 million. So $62.5 million, $27.5 million, plus $10 million.”</p><p>The logic here is that<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-benches-kirk-cousins-favor-of-michael-penix-jr"> Atlanta will stick with Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback</a>. They announced that Cousins is benched for Penix Jr. on Tuesday.</p><p>Florio points out that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grading-kirk-cousins-4-year-180-million-contract-with-falcons">Cousins’ total contract value</a> is very different than what the Falcons owe as guaranteed money.</p><p>“And I see people say oh they gave him $180 million. Don’t be dumb, and don’t be disingenuous,” Florio continued. “It’s not $180 million, it’s $90 million with another $10 that’s guaranteed next March. If you keep him healthy you might be able to move him.”</p><p>If Florio is right, the Falcons will not put Cousins back into the starting lineup again this season.</p><h2><b>Which NFL teams might want to trade for Falcons QB Kirk Cousins this offseason?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Atlanta-Falcons-quarterback-Kirk-Cousins-18-throws-the-ball-against-the-Las-Vegas-Raiders.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Falcons may have eyes on trading Kirk Cousins this offseason. But it takes two to tango. That begs the question: which NFL teams might be willing to acquire Kirk Cousins?</p><p>Chris Simms brought the Titans up as a possible trade destination for Cousins. Tennessee has some pieces to work with on offense and has a balanced defense. Adding Cousins plus a couple more pieces could easily turn the Titans into a contender in the AFC South.</p><p>Indianapolis could make sense for similar reasons. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl-rumors-anthony-richardson-back-colts-2025-this-condition">Colts do have Anthony Richardson</a>, but the organization does not seem to view him very favorably right now. They may be tempted by a bridge QB like Cousins.</p><p>Other QB-needy teams like the Giants and Raiders will likely select rookies in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. They are darkhorse candidates to acquire Cousins.</p><p>It will be interesting to see how Atlanta approaches the quarterback position this offseason.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kirk Cousins’ Falcons contract is ‘very tradable’ according to NFL Insider

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/kirk-cousins-net-worth');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kirk Cousins’ net worth in 2024');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/kirk-cousins-net-worth-in-2024.jpg"></figure><h1>Kirk Cousins’ net worth in 2024</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T07:35:07-08:00">December 18th, 7:35am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T07:39:53-08:00">December 18th, 7:39am</time><address><a>Nihad Zunic</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Kirk Cousins’ net worth in 2024 is $120 million. Cousins is a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback in the NFL.</p><p>He spent the previous six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-atlanta-steals-kirk-cousins-away-from-vikings-4-year-contract" rel="noopener">Cousins signed</a> a four-year $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons prior to the 2024 season only to be replaced as starter by a rookie in December 2024. Let’s look at Kirk Cousins’ net worth in 2024.</p><h2><b>What is Kirk Cousins’ net worth in 2024?: $120 million (estimate)</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/kirk-cousins-net-worth-in-2024-2.jpg"></figure><p>Kirk Cousins has certainly secured the bag in his illustrious 12-year season in the NFL. Kirk Cousins’ net worth in 2024 <a href="https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-athletes/nfl/kirk-cousins-net-worth/" rel="noopener">is $120 million</a>, according to Celebrity Net Worth.</p><p>Ever since he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, Cousins was able to secure good deals for himself and his wealth. Overall, he has made a whopping $231 million in his NFL career, and the highlights of those earnings were the last couple of deals with the Vikings.</p><p>However, to fully understand all these numbers and what Kirk Cousins had to do to get here, let’s look at his life’s retrospective.</p><p>Kirk Cousins was born in Barrington, Ill. He was a true athlete in high school, competing on a high level in football, baseball, and basketball.</p><p>However, his career could have turned out much differently, as Cousins suffered a broken ankle in his junior year. He was unable to compete and thus Cousins’ recruiting stock fell massively.</p><p>Fortunately for him, it did not fall enough, as coach Mark Dantonio took over Michigan State and insisted on bringing Cousins over. Despite a two-star rating as a recruit, Cousins eventually became a starter for the Spartans, posting an 11-2 record in his third year and 11-3 in his last season.</p><h2><b>Kirk Cousins is drafted by the Redskins</b></h2><p>After college, Cousins was selected in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft but came into a situation that was not ideal. As the then-Washington Redskins selected a franchise quarterback with their third overall pick, picking a quarterback here was just an insurance policy.</p><p>He had to wait until 2015 when Cousins finally began to start. His meteoric rise after that has been great.</p><p>In his first season as the starter, the team posted a 9-7 record in his 16 starts. In 2016, one of the wins turned into a tie, but Cousins personally had a better season, as he made his first Pro Bowl. Overall, as a starter, Cousins only has two seasons with a sub-.500 record, which is beyond impressive.</p><h2><b>Kirk Cousins signs with the Vikings</b></h2><p>Cousins signed a three-year, $84 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018. In 2019, Cousins finally led his team to a playoff win, but he is 1-3 in the postseason for his career, which is usually the biggest criticism of the quarterback.</p><p>In 2020, the Vikings gave Cousins a two-year, $66 million contract extension. Cousins then signed a one-year, $35 million extension with the Viking in 2022.</p><p>The Vikings went 50-37-1 in games started by Cousins over six seasons. He threw for at least 3,600 yards in each season except 2023, when he tore his Achilles’ tendon in the eighth game and missed the rest of the season.</p><h2><b>Kirk Cousins signs with the Falcons</b></h2><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Falcons Twitter reacts to Kirk Cousins signing to 4-year, $180M deal <a href="https://t.co/ltcu1XFotD">https://t.co/ltcu1XFotD</a> <a href="https://t.co/mphgNQB3F3">pic.twitter.com/mphgNQB3F3</a></p><p>— The Falcons Wire (@TheFalconsWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheFalconsWire/status/1767272008943911170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Cousins’ injury didn’t deter the Falcons from signing the 35-year-old Cousins to a long-term deal. The deal includes $100 million guaranteed money, including the $50 million signing bonus.</p><p>However, after 14 games, the disappointing <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-benches-kirk-cousins-favor-of-michael-penix-jr">Falcons are benching Cousins</a> in favor of rookie first-round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. Atlanta just ended a four-game losing streak but only scored 15 points in a narrow victory over the lowly Las Vegas Raiders. Cousins has thrown for 3,508 yards with 18 touchdowns and an NFL-leading 16 interceptions.</p><p>Other than sports, Kirk Cousins has other endeavors which contribute to his impressive net worth of $120 million. Firstly, he has endorsement deals with the likes of Bose, Nike, and Pizza Ranch.</p><p>Cousins also had a line of breakfast cereal, the Cousins CinnaMinn Snaps. All of the proceeds of the cereal went to his foundation, the Kirk and Julie Cousins Foundation. It was sold in 2020-21.</p><p>When it comes to the foundation, it is important to mention that Julie Cousins, Kirk’s wife, is the one running it, and it is likely that the net worth of Kirk would be even bigger if he thought purely for money. However, Cousins has constantly chosen charitable cases and has generally been there for his community over making money.</p><p>Obviously, $120 million is a lot, but we have seen players make much more. Thus, it is even more impressive to see a guy who is a legitimate NFL star, as Kirk Cousins was and still is, chose a life of being there for the people around him and his family.</p><p>Nevertheless, were you at all stunned by Kirk Cousins’ net worth in 2024?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kirk Cousins’ net worth in 2024

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-benching-draws-reactions');   ga('set', 'title', 'Falcons’ Kirk Cousins benching draws no shortage of reactions');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Falcons-news-Kirk-Cousins-benching-draws-no-shortage-of-reactions.jpg"></figure><h1>Falcons’ Kirk Cousins benching draws no shortage of reactions</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T18:41:52-08:00">December 17th, 6:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T20:04:50-08:00">December 17th, 8:04pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Falcons made headlines on Tuesday when they announced the stunning decision to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-benches-kirk-cousins-favor-of-michael-penix-jr">bench quarterback Kirk Cousins in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr.</a> Cousins has been playing some of the worst football of his career lately, so head coach Raheem Morris and the rest of the staff believe that Penix has the best chance of leading the Falcons to the playoffs.</p><p>After the move was announced, <a href="https://x.com/JustTalkinHoops/status/1869202417990189068" rel="noopener">fans everywhere were stunned</a> that Morris and the Falcons <a href="https://x.com/FalcoNole/status/1869196080145137860" rel="noopener">pulled the trigger</a> on a move that has been discussed at length on the Internet in recent weeks.</p><p>“Needed to be done, but like, what’s the point this late into the year?” one fan questioned on X, formerly Twitter. “They trying to make a playoff push changing the most important position seems dangerous.” Another fan added, “It’s only a bombshell if you’re not a Falcons fan. I wish Kirk nothing but the best, but it’s obvious he’s either still not 100% or worse, he’s totally washed.”</p><p>Other <a href="https://x.com/alexSSN/status/1869198172981260550" rel="noopener">fans immediately thought about</a> the Falcons’ puzzling offseason that saw them give Cousins a <a href="https://x.com/905Kar/status/1869197793270890975" rel="noopener">massive contract</a> in free agency before drafting Penix with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL Draft.</p><p>“I don’t think we’ll ever really understand just what, exactly, the Atlanta Falcons were thinking giving Kirk Cousins that giant-a** contract right before drafting a franchise quarterback,” one fan wrote. Another posted, “Doesn’t feel like an overreaction to say Kirk Cousins’ contract with Atlanta is comfortably the worst deal in NFL history. 4 years with 90 million guaranteed just to draft his replacement a month later and bench him after 14 games.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-reacts-raheem-morris-obvious-statement-struggles">Cousins had not played well over the last few weeks</a> while the Falcons slid into a four-game losing streak that allowed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to take control of the NFC South. During the losing streak, Cousins threw exactly zero touchdowns and eight interceptions, including a four-pick day during a very winnable game against the Los Angeles Chargers.</p><p>Even in the Falcons’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/raheem-morris-kirk-cousins-plea-after-falcons-ugly-win-over-raiders">Cousins and the rest of the Falcons’ offense were not sharp</a> in the way you would expect them to be against one of the worst teams in the NFL. For the evening, Cousins finished 11-for-17 with 112 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Falcons’ passing game was non-existent once again outside of a blown coverage that resulted in a Drake London touchdown. And they repeatedly stalled out in Raiders territory, forcing them to settle for field goals.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/why-falcons-raheem-morris-didnt-want-to-bench-kirk-cousins-michael-penix-jr">Penix gives the Falcons an element of mobility</a> that Cousins just couldn’t provide coming off of a torn Achilles. He is also able to push the ball down the field in a way that Cousins hadn’t been comfortable doing lately, so there’s a chance that this Falcons offense becomes more explosive moving forward.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Falcons’ Kirk Cousins benching draws no shortage of reactions

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/why-falcons-raheem-morris-didnt-want-to-bench-kirk-cousins-michael-penix-jr');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Falcons’ Raheem Morris didn’t want to bench Kirk Cousins for Michael Penix Jr.');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Why-Falcons-Raheem-Morris-didnt-want-to-bench-Kirk-Cousins-for-Michael-Penix-Jr.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Falcons’ Raheem Morris didn’t want to bench Kirk Cousins for Michael Penix Jr.</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T17:45:28-08:00">December 17th, 5:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T21:15:11-08:00">December 17th, 9:15pm</time><address><a>Shane Shoemaker</a>Shane Shoemaker is an Associate Editor and Editorial writer for ClutchPoints, covering a wide range of sports and entertainment topics. Shane is a lifelong Tennessean yet refuses allegiance to any Tennessee-based teams. He's a graduate from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga with a BA in Communications/Journalism. There's a good chance he'll never let you forget the Atlanta Braves won the 2021 World Series.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>For those who managed to stomach the game, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/raheem-morris-kirk-cousins-plea-after-falcons-ugly-win-over-raiders">Atlanta Falcons delivered yet another lackluster showing on Monday Night Football</a> in Week 15. At least it ended with a victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.</p><p>It almost wasn’t, though. The Falcons squeaked out a 15-9 win, scoring just one touchdown, along with a safety and two field goals. The game came down to the final play, as former Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder led the Raiders on a 10-play, 45-yard drive that ended with Atlanta picking off a desperation Hail Mary pass.</p><p>This was supposed to be the game where everything clicked for Atlanta after dropping four straight. Instead, it felt more like a loss than a win, primarily because of the ongoing dilemma head coach Raheem Morris faces regarding Kirk Cousins.</p><p>Before the Falcons’ bye week and their loss to the Denver Broncos, media speculation had already begun swirling around whether Morris would consider benching Cousins in favor of No. 8 overall pick Michael Penix Jr. Up to this point, Morris has remained committed to Cousins, insisting he believes the veteran quarterback would figure things out.</p><p>But it’s become increasingly clear that Cousins hasn’t figured anything out.</p><h2><b>Raheem Morris had good reason for not benching Kirk Cousins</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Atlanta-Falcons-quarterback-Kirk-Cousins-18-throws-the-ball-against-the-Las-Vegas-Raiders.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>For the first time since Nov. 3, Cousins threw a touchdown pass, connecting with Drake London in the win over the Raiders on Monday night. However, since that game, the Falcons have gone 1-4, and Cousins has thrown just one touchdown compared to nine interceptions. He’s remained interception-free in only four games this season and leads the league in turnovers.</p><p>That’s far from acceptable for a quarterback who signed a four-year, $180 million contract this past offseason. And that’s precisely why Morris hadn’t yet made the call to bench Cousins.</p><p>Signing a 36-year-old quarterback with limited postseason success and coming off a major Achilles injury was already a risky decision. Atlanta, desperate to solve their quarterback problem, pushed hard to sign Cousins—reaching out early, even at the risk of tampering penalties. They wanted to make sure no other team could make a better offer.</p><p>However, the structure of Cousins’ <a href="https://overthecap.com/player/kirk-cousins/1443#:~:text=Contract%20Notes,a%20%2450%20million%20signing%20bonus." rel="noopener">contract</a> reveals that it’s essentially a two-year trial. Cousins is guaranteed a total of $39 million this year and next, per <i>OverTheCap</i>. After the 2025 season, Atlanta’s dead cap hit drops to a more manageable $25 million, and by 2027, it shrinks to $12.5 million, which essentially means they can move off him.</p><p>But right now, it’s only the first year of the deal, which makes this an incredibly difficult situation for Morris and Atlanta.</p><h2><b>Raheem Morris finally goes with Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Falcons-head-coach-Raheem-Morris.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After Monday’s game, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-raheem-morris-leaves-door-open-qb-switch-kirk-cousins">Morris didn’t mince words, emphasizing that Cousins must improve</a>.</p><p>“We have to find a way to get him to play better. We have to play better at the quarterback position,” Morris said.</p><p>Cousins finished 11-for-17 for 112 yards, one touchdown, and one interception—hardly the kind of performance Atlanta needs. Even the game’s announcers repeatedly noted how out of rhythm the veteran quarterback appeared.</p><p>“I think the last few weeks I would say I need to play better,” <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-kirk-cousins-reacts-raheem-morris-obvious-statement-struggles">Cousins admitted</a> in his postgame press conference. “Raheem says it, but it’s stating the obvious. Every week you go through your process and plan to play your best. This week will be no different.”</p><p>The reality is glaring: This is where the Falcons find themselves.</p><p>Atlanta still has a legitimate chance to make the postseason, thanks to a favorable schedule featuring games against the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, and Carolina Panthers. But is that really the situation Morris wants to throw his rookie quarterback into?</p><p>Morris clearly wants this situation to work—for his team, for Cousins, and for himself—but none of those outcomes look promising. He’s now stuck in an unenviable spot, created by decisions made by both himself and general manager Terry Fontenot.</p><p>When asked Monday whether he’s still committed to Cousins, Morris sounded far less certain.</p><p>“We just got back,” Morris <a href="https://x.com/JoshTheAthletic/status/1869145041677263316" rel="noopener">said Tuesday</a>, per <i>The Athletic’s</i> Josh Kendall. “We still have to go through that process. All those things will happen over the course of the week. We didn’t play well enough at the quarterback position.”</p><p>On Tuesday evening, Morris finally made the call and will start Penix against the Giants.</p><p>Even with Morris turning to Penix, it doesn’t fully solve Atlanta’s problems. If Penix plays well and wins out, Morris’s coaching will come under scrutiny, and the team’s decision to invest so heavily in Cousins will look even worse. No matter what, the Falcons’ quarterback dilemma continues to loom large.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024 SEASON STATS
PASSING YDS	PASSING TDS	INTERCEPTIONS	POSITION RANK
5988.2	30.7	27.3	17

2024 SEASON STATS
PASSING YDS	PASSING TDS	INTERCEPTIONS	POSITION RANK
5988.2	30.7	27.3	17

Kirk Cousins news

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