DETROIT, April 26 (UPI) — The Atlanta Falcons are “very exited about” starting Kirk Cousins, general manager Terry Fontenot told reporters shortly after opting to use a first-round 2024 NFL Draft pick on another quarterback, Michael Penix Jr.
Fontenot made the comments just after the Falcons shocked many fans — and Cousins himself — by using the No. 8 overall pick on the former Washington star. He told reporters that the quarterback was informed of the Falcons’ decision just minutes before making the move official.
“It was a big surprise,” Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, told NFL Network. “We had no idea this was coming. The truth is, the whole league had no idea this was coming.
“We got no heads up. Kirk got a call from the Falcons when they were on the clock. That was the first we heard. It never came up in conversation.”
A little over one month ago, the Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract. That deal features an average annual value of about $45 million.
Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, is expected to bring stability to the quarterback position for the Falcons, who deployed a carousel of passers over the last several seasons following the departure of former franchise cornerstone Matt Ryan.
On Thursday, Fontenot maintained his commitment to Cousins. He also said he didn’t want to “pass up” the opportunity to draft Penix, whom he called a “high-caliber player.”
“Kirk Cousins is our quarterback, we’re very excited about Kirk, very excited about this team, and Michael Penix is, we’re talking about the future,” Fontenot told reporters during a conference call.
Penix, 23, led the nation with 4,903 passing yards in 2023-24, when he led the Huskies to the national title game. The Heisman Trophy runner-up finished third with 36 touchdown passes. He totaled the second-most passing yards (4,641) in 2022-23.
Last season, he became the first player since Patrick Mahomes in 2015 and 2016 to total at least 4,500 passing yards in consecutive years.
Penix will receive a four-year contract with a fifth-year option. He will be 27 years old at the end of that deal. Cousins is signed through 2027.
Penix, who was the fifth of six quarterbacks selected in Thursday’s first round, entered the pre-draft process facing concerns about his injury history. The Indiana transfer sustained multiple ACL tears and other leg and ankle issues throughout his decorated collegiate career.
“He has been through some things through his career,” Fontenot said. “With the injuries he went through earlier in his career, and been able to bounce back and do the things he did at the University of Washington.”
Penix said he also didn’t know he would join the Falcons until the call came in.
“I’m not going to say I knew that was coming,” he told reporters. “I knew when the phone call came through. I had no idea.”
Falcons coach Raheem Morris said he would keep the discussion he had with Cousins “private,” but tight end Kyle Pitts was among those who expressed shock about the move.
“I’m very shocked, I’m not going to lie,” Pitts said on a Bleacher Report broadcast. “I did think we were going [to draft] defense.”
Morris expressed confidence in the Falcons’ roster, hinting that the franchise would not have another early first-round pick in the near future. He also said it will be Penix’s responsibility to learn from Cousins.
“We won’t have the ability to be picking this high again with the guys we’ve got,” Morris said. “These guys go off the board pretty quickly. We thought it would be important for us to address our future quarterback when we’re picking this [high]. … We don’t want to be picking here anymore. So let’s address that right now.”
Veteran backup Taylor Heinicke is the only other quarterback on the Falcons roster.
