Various reports suggest Atlanta Falcons NFL Draft decision has damaged relationship with $180 million man Kirk Cousins

Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

After the Atlanta Falcons made a shocking decision to use their top draft pick in 2024 on a quarterback Thursday night, various reports paint a picture of a potentially damaged relationship with the star quarterback they just gave a massive contract to last month.

There was a lot of speculation about what the Falcons might do with the eighth overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. One position they definitely did not need to address that early was quarterback after they gave Minnesota Vikings veteran Kirk Cousins a huge four-year deal worth $180 million in March. However, the Atlanta brass had other ideas.

Just before Round 1 of the event, a surprising report came out that Falcons owner Arthur Blank was surprisingly making a late push for his team to take Washington Huskies star QB Michael Penix Jr. For many the news was likely met with an eye-roll and a belief it was just a rumor. However, when the team was on the clock at eight they did the unthinkable.

The drafting of Penix Jr. was met with shock around the league and it seems by Cousins as well. Soon after the selection, The Athletic’s NFL insider Dianna Russini claimed that the front office did not let their new starting QB know about his competition until moments before they made the pick.

Kirk Cousins contract: 4 years, $180 million

Furthermore, she revealed, “Cousins understood a QB would be considered but he did not believe his successor would be taken in the first round.” The report added that the 35-year-old was “stunned” by the news.

Adding to what is likely a relationship going in the direction was what general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris had to say when asked about Cousins’ reaction in a post-draft press conference.

“That’s a private [conversation]. We wouldn’t really share that,” Fontenot said. Which was followed by Morris adding, “There’s never a right time to talk to a quarterback about those things … He’s a competitor and you can always expect those things to go like you think.”

If the four-time Pro Bowler embraced the move that would seem like something worth informing the media about. Instead, the team’s top decision-makers were evasive and vague.

Kirk Cousins’ agent adds more to Atlanta Falcons blindsiding him with surprise NFL Draft plans

Yet, that’s not where the trouble ends. Later in the evening, NFL Media league insider Dan Graziano received quotes from the QB’s agent that added to the shocked confusion of a potential replacement for his client being selected a month after he signed with the Atlanta Falcons, and countered the Russini report.

“Yes, it was a big surprise. We had no idea this was coming. The truth is the whole league had no idea this was coming. We got no heads up. Kirk got a call from the Falcons when they were on the clock. That was the first we heard. It never came up in any conversations.”

Kirk Cousins stats (2023): 8 games, 2,331 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 103.8 passer rating

On Friday, Russini added in a follow-up report that Penix Jr. was also not among the team’s top 30 visits before the draft. Taking a player in Round 1 who did not have a sit-down visit with a team is something she claims is “unheard of.”

Suffice it to say, but the Falcons have some patching up to do with their 2024 starting QB and expected team leader in the months ahead.