Kirk Cousins was signed to a big four-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons because the team saw him as the key to their playoff hopes.
However, Cousins lost his starting position to rookie Michael Penix Jr. after coach Raheem Morris decided that Cousins’ turnovers were preventing the team from making the playoffs.
Cousins found it tough to hear this from his coach during an unexpected meeting on Tuesday night.
“It’s pro football, and it was a standard that I have for myself and the team has for me,” Cousins said Wednesday. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t playing up to that standard consistently enough.”
Penix, known for staying calm under pressure, was already prepared for the challenge ahead.
“I don’t think anybody’s going to have to say anything for Mike to be calm,” said offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. “I mean, he is about as cool as they come.”
Still, Penix admitted that he would feel nervous when he first takes the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.
“I was basically thinking about just leading up to it, running out of the tunnel,” Penix said. “I’m not going to lie, I’m going to be nervous running out of the tunnel, but it’s going to be different when I get out on the field. … It’s a flip the switch, I’m going to be ready.”
In the past five games, the Falcons (7-7) went 1-4, and during that stretch, Cousins threw one touchdown pass and nine interceptions. After being in first place in the NFC South at 6-3, the Falcons now need help from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division.
The Falcons are one game behind the Buccaneers and hold the tiebreaker advantage if they finish tied with them.
Cousins said he would support Penix but quickly responded when asked if he thought he could still be a starter in the NFL.
“I didn’t forget how to play quarterback,” Cousins said. “Certainly turnovers were not what you want, but I didn’t forget how to play.”
Cousins made it clear that his turnovers were not due to health or confidence issues but that he simply needs to make better decisions.
The decision to promote Penix to the starting role was not a quick one. The job now belongs to Penix for the rest of the season.
“I don’t think anything’s ever permanent in the National Football League,” Morris said Wednesday. “But, you know, right now, Mike Penix is our quarterback and we’re going to back him and give him the utmost support he needs as we did Kirk when he was our starter.”
Penix said he was shopping with his girlfriend when he got the call from Morris. He said it wasn’t just about one game.
“They told me I was going to be the starting quarterback for the rest of the season,” Penix said. “… I’m super blessed to be on this team with this opportunity.”
If Cousins, 36, doesn’t start another game for Atlanta, it would be a costly 14-game period for him since he signed a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed.
Morris said Falcons owner Arthur Blank was “extremely supportive,” but the coach acknowledged that benching Cousins has financial consequences. However, Morris said the decision was made with the goal of getting the team to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
“Obviously it definitely has some financial implications for us and how you go about your process,” Morris said. “And that’s definitely one of the deals where we’re always going to make football decisions in order to win the football game. And that’s always going to be first and foremost.”
The Falcons have a short week after their Monday night win at Las Vegas, which ended a four-game losing streak. Cousins threw for 112 yards with his first touchdown pass in five games, but also threw another interception. He leads the NFL with 16 interceptions.
Morris hopes Penix, the No. 8 overall pick from Washington, can help the team in the tight division race.
“We want to play better at quarterback,” Morris said. “And we felt like we got a chance to play a little bit better. And if we can go out there and play better at quarterback, who knows what can happen?”
Morris said that Cousins was disappointed but acted “like a professional” when told about the decision.
“He definitely expressed to me he’s going to be the best No. 2 quarterback in the National Football League,” Morris said.
Penix has played in only two games, completing 3 of 5 passes for 38 yards.
