Kirk Cousins will not be getting his preferred number with Falcons

Kirk Cousins will start his Atlanta Falcons career without at least one thing he would have wanted.

The Falcons announced Monday that Cousins will wear No. 18 instead of his preferred No. 8. It was not clear why, as Cousins and tight end Kyle Pitts, who currently wears the number, had both suggested their openness to making some sort of deal.

Atlanta Falcons QB
Kirk Cousins
No. 18 pic.twitter.com/LuD2ulR9yF

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) March 18, 2024

During his introductory press conference, Cousins said Pitts had offered him No. 8 in exchange for “targets every game.” As amusing as that was, it clearly was not the basis for an actual deal, so Pitts will be keeping the number, at least for the time being.

Cousins has worn No. 8 for his entire career except for his first two seasons in the NFL. Pitts wore No. 84 in college at Florida, the number most recently held in Atlanta by free agent Cordarrelle Patterson.