Falcons miss out on playoffs after spending big on Kirk Cousins

Cousins spent the last six season in Minnesota before signing with Atlanta this offseason.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins prepares for a game against the New York Giants at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec. 22, 2024. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Kirk Cousins experiment in Atlanta did not go according to plan.

The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract this offseason in the hopes he was the missing piece that could thrust them back into the playoffs. But Atlanta was officially eliminated from postseason contention Sunday afternoon when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints to clinch the NFC South. Meanwhile, the Falcons lost their finale 44-38 to the Carolina Panthers to finish the season with an 8-9 record, just a win improved from last year.

Cousins watched Sunday's game from the sidelines as he was benched for the final three games of the season in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr. Cousins finished his season with 3,508 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

The 16 interceptions from Cousins are tied for the most in the NFL with Baker Mayfield, who played all 17 games. (Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith has 15 picks entering Sunday afternoon's game against the Los Angeles Rams).

Cousins signed with the Falcons this past offseason after spending the past six seasons in Minnesota. Cousins played 88 games with the Vikings, throwing for 23,256 yards, 171 touchdowns and 55 interceptions. Cousins was playing the best football of his career in 2023 before going down with a season-ending Achilles injury eight games into the season.

The issues in Atlanta weren't all on Cousins as the Falcons went just 1-2 in Penix's three starts to finish the year. But it appears the Cousins era in Atlanta will be short-lived. The Falcons are expected to cut or trade Cousins after the disappointing season. There will certainly be interested suitors, and Cousins will be looking at a bounce-back season.