Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins closed out the 2025 season with a win and his plans for 2026 came up at his postgame press conference.
Cousins started the final eight games of the season for the Falcons after Michael Penix’s season-ending knee injury and Sunday’s 19-17 win over the Saints meant that the Falcons went 5-3 in those contests. His current contract has a non-guaranteed salary of $35 million for the 2026 season and the Falcons would owe him a $10 million roster bonus in March, so it was no surprise that he was asked if he thinks this could have been his final game with the team.
“Hard to know. Hard to know,” Cousins said. “I would like to keep playing, but we’ll see how things play out in March or even after that. . . . I would love to be back here. We’ll see how things play out. At this point, just see how it goes.”
Penix’s recovery timeline is still coming into focus and Cousins played well enough in his absence to be a good insurance policy against any delays to Penix’s return. It’s an expensive option, though, and Cousins would likely have clearer paths to a starting job if he moves on this offseason.
