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Cam Newton Questions Falcons’ Massive Kirk Cousins Contract

The former Carolina Panthers quarterback was perplexed by Atlanta's choice to sign Kirk Cousins.

Kristen Wong

Cam Newton Questions Falcons’ Massive Kirk Cousins Contract
Cam Newton Questions Falcons’ Massive Kirk Cousins Contract /
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When the Atlanta Falcons signed Kirk Cousins in free agency, former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was one of the first to publicly criticize what he believed was a massive mistake by the franchise.

Newton, who last played in the NFL in 2021, revealed his biggest concern with the Cousins deal was the fact that the ex-Minnesota Vikings quarterback only has one playoff win in his decade-plus NFL career.

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“It is extremely alarming that he only had one playoff win in 12 years,” Newton said on his webshow, 4th & 1. “He’s coming off of an injury. Why didn’t they get Justin Fields? I can’t make it about me, but if I were to make it about me, it’s like, I’m in Atlanta.”

On Monday, Cousins and Atlanta agreed to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed. As Newton correctly points out, Cousins only has one playoff win, which came in the 2019 season. when the Vikings beat the New Orleans Saints, 26–20, in the wild-card round.

However, Newton calling Cousins out for his lack of postseason success could be construed as a classic example of the pot calling the kettle black. Over his 11-year career, Newton picked up just three playoff wins in 2014 and ‘15. During those two postseason stretches, Newton recorded a combined total of seven touchdowns against five interceptions.

Cam Newton was not a fan of his hometown Atlanta Falcons’ signing of quarterback Kirk Cousins :: Brett Davis/USA TODAY Sports

While Cousins may not have much playoff glory to show for his time in the league (and his over $300 million in projected career earnings), the four-time Pro Bowler remains a decorated signal-caller in his own right. Before suffering his season-ending Achilles injury in 2023, Cousins recorded a 69.5% pass completion rate and threw 18 touchdowns against five interceptions. His 270 touchdowns and 39,471 passing yards respectively rank 20th and 24th all time.

Cousins has accrued plenty of respect over the years for his consistent quarterback play—just not from a former NFC South heavyweight, it seems.

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Kristen Wong
KRISTEN WONG

Kristen Wong is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. She has been a sports journalist since 2020. Before joining SI in November 2023, Wong covered four NFL teams as an associate editor with the FanSided NFL Network and worked as a staff writer for the brand’s flagship site. Outside of work, she has dreams of running her own sporty dive bar.

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