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Atlanta Falcons' Drake London Reacts To Kirk Cousins Being Cut, Michael Penix Jr.

The Atlanta Falcons have made a quarterback change, benching Kirk Cousins for rookie Michael Penix Jr. Atlanta wide receiver Drake London spoke on the change and what that means for him going forward.

Kyron Samuels

Sep 16, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) during pre-game warms against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Sep 16, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) during pre-game warms against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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The Atlanta Falcons are making a quarterback change: veteran Pro-Bowler Kirk Cousins is being benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a 4-year, $180M contract this offseason with $90M fully-guaranteed. They also drafted Penix Jr. No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. The passing of the guard was always the plan, just not this early. 

The Falcons once sat at 6-3 with a 4-0 record in the NFC South division. They’re now 7-7 and on the outside looking in on the playoff race. The drastic falloff in quarterback play from Cousins is a large reason why and ultimately what led to the change. Atlanta wide receiver Drake London might be the biggest benefactor of the change and London didn’t mince his words when sharing what he thought about the decision. 

“I don’t take QB changes in any way. I’ve been through that a lot in college, so honestly how I look at is just catch the ball. Whoever throws me the ball I really don’t care, just as long as it gets there and it’s catchable. That’s just all that matters to me,” said London about the recent quarterback change.

London was near the top of every receiving category before the dip in production that coincided with Cousins' downturn. London is still on pace to have a career-best season with 78 receptions, 919 receiving yards, and seven receiving touchdowns. However, the big-bodied receiver hasn’t fully been unleashed to the maximum of his skillset, and the potential with Penix Jr. to unlock that is an exciting thought. 

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"I just got to be myself," Penix said. "I don't feel like I got to be anybody else. I don't have to try too hard to be the big leader, the vocal leader. Just be myself. Trust in my preparation and bring everybody along with me." 

Penix put up extraordinary numbers with the Washington Huskies alongside fellow first-round draft pick wide receiver Rome Odunze, now a member of the Chicago Bears. London and Odunze have similar frames and athletic abilities and are both great at the catch point and vertically. Penix Jr. will be making his first NFL start, but having a player like London to play comfortable style is a bonus.

“Obviously, Mike’s got some different skillsets that you can activate. Whatever he’s done at Washington and what we’ve seen on the practice field . . . we’ll definitely activate that this week," said offensive coordinator Zac Robinson on the potential new-look offense with Penix Jr. at the helm.

The Falcons take on the 2-12 New York Giants next with their playoff hopes still intact. The new connection between London and Penix could be the spark needed to get Atlanta back on track. 

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

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