Atlanta Falcons General Manager Terry Fontenot and Head Coach Raheem Morris stated at the NFL Scouting Combine that they were unaware of quarterback Kirk Cousins’ late-season injuries. This revelation follows Cousins’ admission during Super Bowl week that he sustained injuries to his right shoulder and elbow during a Week 10 game against the New Orleans Saints, which affected his performance for the remainder of the season.
Key Points
- Injury Revelation: Cousins disclosed that he was hit hard in the Week 10 game, leading to persistent issues with his arm that never fully healed. He struggled significantly after this injury, throwing nine interceptions and only one touchdown in the subsequent five games.
- Injury Report Confusion: The Falcons did place Cousins on the injury report for one day during Week 11, indicating he was limited in practice due to his right shoulder and elbow issues. However, Cousins later referred to this as a “clerical error,” maintaining he was healthy.
- Coaching Decisions: Following a disappointing stretch, Cousins was benched in Week 16 in favor of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Morris emphasized that the decision was based solely on performance rather than health concerns, stating that Cousins should address any injury claims himself.
- Future with the Falcons: Fontenot indicated that the team plans to keep Cousins as a backup for Penix moving forward. However, Cousins’ future is complicated by his contract; if released before March 12, 2025, the Falcons would incur a $65 million dead money hit. A post-June 1 release would spread this cost over two years.
- Cousins’ Outlook: Cousins expressed uncertainty about his future but remains focused on getting healthy. He emphasized his belief that he still has much to contribute in the league.
This situation highlights both the challenges of managing player health and performance in professional sports and the complexities surrounding contracts and roster decisions within NFL teams.
Citations:
- https://www.espn.com.au/nfl/story/_/id/44010723/falcons-gm-coach-unaware-kirk-cousins-late-season-injury
- https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10153553-kirk-cousins-says-he-played-through-shoulder-elbow-injuries-before-falcons-benching
- https://www.espn.com.au/nfl/story/_/id/43691382/falcons-kirk-cousins-says-shoulder-elbow-injuries-affected-play
- https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons-gm-2025-plan-kirk-cousins-after-benching-injury-michael-penix
- https://www.tsn.ca/nfl/atlanta-falcons-general-manager-terry-fontenot-expects-quarterback-kirk-cousins-to-remain-with-team-1.2257225
- https://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/25/falcons-kirk-cousins-terry-fontenot-nfl/
- https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/article/falcons-gm-kirk-cousins-is-the-backup-will-remain-with-team-for-now-153202531.html
- https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/atlanta-falcons/news/falcons-raheem-morris-terry-fontenot-break-silence-kirk-cousins-surprise-injury-admission-name-qb1-michael-penix-jr/d83821b28ca8a16c1ca5e98b
- https://www.aol.com/falcons-position-qb-kirk-cousins-165514306.html
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- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/nfl/news/falcons-gms-10m-decision-signals-kirk-cousins-future-as-michael-penix-jr-gets-clear-qb1-message/articleshow/118563658.cms
- https://athlonsports.com/nfl/atlanta-falcons/falcons-announce-decision-on-kirk-cousins-before-2025-season
- https://atlallday.com/falcons-gm-addresses-kirk-cousins-offseason-injury-drama-for-1st-time-01jmytw17sbt
- https://sports.yahoo.com/kirk-cousins-admits-injuries-suffered-163031793.html
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- https://sports.yahoo.com/kirk-cousins-reveals-more-injury-120012594.html
- https://www.gameday.de/news/kirk-cousins-battled-shoulder-injury-late-in-the-season
- https://www.neworleanssaints.com/video/payton-turner-sack-kirk-cousins-falcons-vs-saints-highlights-2024-nfl-week-10
- https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/terry-fontenot-raheem-morris-kirk-cousins-injury
- https://www.reuters.com/sports/falcons-position-qb-kirk-cousins-hasnt-changed-2025-02-25/
- https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/falcons_were_surprised_when_kirk_cousins_revealed_he_had_an_injury/s1_16493_41814350
- https://nypost.com/2025/02/25/sports/falcons-not-budging-in-180-million-kirk-cousins-saga/
- https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons/news/atlanta-falcons-surprised-by-kirk-cousins-injury-comments-unaware-01jmyq4ev2vf
- https://sports.yahoo.com/article/terry-fontenot-were-moving-forward-152129246.html
- https://africa.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44010723/falcons-gm-coach-unaware-kirk-cousins-late-season-injury
- https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6148912/2025/02/24/falcons-mailbag-terry-fontenot-kirk-cousins/
- https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/falcons-gm-says-team-will-move-forward-with-kirk-cousins-backup-michael-penix-jr/YHBXU63MHFF25J4NT5LFII4H2A/
- https://www.thefantasyfootballers.com/news/596503/kirk-cousins-dealt-with-late-season-injuries/
- https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43691382/falcons-kirk-cousins-says-shoulder-elbow-injuries-affected-play
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/nfl/news/falcons-exposed-kirk-cousins-shocking-injury-revelation-puts-raheem-morris-on-blastcoaching-cover-up/articleshow/117926746.cms
- https://sports.yahoo.com/kirk-cousins-says-he-dealt-with-shoulder-elbow-injuries-before-falcons-benched-him-225700299.html
