Falcons Set Date to Release Kirk Cousins as Atlanta Resets QB Plan

Atlanta has now put a date on it.

Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said the team will release quarterback Kirk Cousins on March 11, the first day of the new NFL league year, ending months of speculation about how Atlanta would handle one of the league’s most expensive quarterback situations. Cunningham said he informed Cousins and his agent, Mike McCartney, ahead of the move so the veteran can enter free agency with clarity.

Cunningham’s direct explanation was straightforward and centered on timing and respect.

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“I did talk to Kirk and his representation, Mike McCartney, letting them know that would release him,” Cunningham said. “Just felt that was out of respect for Kirk, and Mike, his agent, for what he has done for his career. I owe that to him, we owe that to him, just allow him some clarity going into free agency.”

The decision comes after the Falcons and Cousins reworked the final years of his contract in January. The restructure dropped Cousins’ 2026 base salary from $35 million to $2.1 million and shifted the remaining $32.9 million to 2027, creating a much larger 2027 figure that would vest if he stayed on the roster into March. The adjustment made an early release the expected outcome and gave Atlanta a cleaner path to move on before that trigger date.

Cousins, 37, signed with Atlanta in 2024 on a four year deal worth up to $180 million after his run with the Minnesota Vikings. The Falcons had initially brought him in to stabilize the position, then used the No. 8 pick in the same offseason to draft Michael Penix Jr., creating a quarterback timeline that always looked temporary for one of them.

The on field results in Atlanta were mixed. In the 2024 season, Cousins completed 66.9% of his passes for 3,508 yards with 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, and he was eventually replaced in the starting lineup late in the year after a stretch that included four straight games without a touchdown pass and a four interception game against the Chargers. He still had major moments, including a 509 yard game against Tampa Bay that set a franchise single game passing record, but the season ended with Penix taking over.

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Cousins returned to the starting role in 2025 after Penix suffered a season ending knee injury. Across 10 appearances and eight starts last season, Cousins completed 61.7% of his passes for 1,721 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions, and Atlanta went 5-3 in his starts. The Falcons finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs again.

Atlanta’s front office and coaching staff also changed after the season. The Falcons moved on from head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot following a second straight 8-9 finish. Matt Ryan was hired as team president, and the club hired Kevin Stefanski as head coach and Ian Cunningham as general manager. That reset only added more focus to the quarterback position, especially with Penix recovering from ACL surgery.

Penix’s status is still central to what happens next. He tore his left ACL in November and has said he expects to be ready for the 2026 season opener. At the same time, Atlanta has not publicly locked in a full commitment on him as the unquestioned starter while he works back from surgery, leaving the team with work to do in building out the rest of the quarterback room this offseason.

For Cousins, the release opens the door to another free agency cycle. He has a long track record of landing major deals, and multiple reports have noted that he wants to keep playing while also keeping television as a possible option. Cousins addressed his future earlier this offseason and made it clear he is still interested in returning to the field.

“I’ll keep an open mind,” he said. “I want to play. I feel really rejuvenated. I think it was great to be able to have a great run down the stretch with the Falcons. Even though we didn’t make the playoffs, we were able to win the last four games. [I] really have a joy playing, enjoyed the guys, and so want to get back out there and be able to get back at it again.”

Atlanta now moves into March with the date set, the contract mechanics resolved, and the next quarterback chapter still taking shape. Cousins gets the early notice he wanted. The Falcons get a clean break before the league year opens. And the rest of the league gets another veteran quarterback on the market.

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