Bucs Gameday

Free Agent Quarterback Kirk Cousins Joins Buccaneers' NFC South Rival

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will get to face off against a new quarterback in the NFC South for the next few years.

River Wells

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some history with quarterback Kirk Cousins, and now, they'll face off against him twice a year.

Cousins wasted no time in free agency, signing a four-year, $180 million deal with a $50 million signing bonus with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday. The move gives the Falcons a long-term option at quarterback and is a large part of the team's new look after hiring head coach Raheem Morris and revamping the team's coaching staff. Cousins' agent was the first to announce the deal on social media.

As previously mentioned, Cousins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers go way back. Cousins cemented his legacy as a starting quarterback against Tampa Bay in 2015. Cousins led a massive comeback after being down 24-0 in the second quarter, eventually winning the game 31-30. After heading to the locker room, he yelled out the phrase "You like that?", which has become a catchphrase of his ever since.

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The Bucs got the better of Cousins last time out, though. Tampa Bay played the Minnesota Vikings in the first game of the regular season and defeated them 20-17. Despite taking a loss, Cousins had a good game, passing for 344 yards and two touchdowns. His 2023 season was cut short, though, when he tore his Achilles against the Green Bay Packers in Week 8.

Cousins has played very well against the Bucs in his career. He's played them three times and has netted 886 yards and six touchdowns to just one interception. Now, he'll get to face off against Tampa Bay twice a year with weapons like Drake London, Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts to throw to.

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You can follow River Wells on Twitter @riverhwells.

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River Wells
RIVER WELLS

River Wells is a sports journalist from St. Petersburg, Florida, who has covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2023. He graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter @riverhwells.