Kirk Cousins tried his best to take the high road after the Atlanta Falcons made the shocking decision to draft Michael Penix Jr., but the veteran quarterback clearly was not happy about the situation.
The Falcons signed Cousins to a massive contract last offseason that included $100 million in guaranteed money. They then drafted Penix with the No. 8 overall pick, which virtually no one saw coming.
When asked at the time if he would have reconsidered signing with Atlanta had he known about the draft plans, Cousins said he does not “deal in hypotheticals.”
Cousins was much more candid during the filming of Netflix’s newest “Quarterback” series, which premiered on Tuesday. The four-time Pro Bowl QB admitted he felt a “little bit misled” by the Falcons. Cousins also said he would have preferred to remain with the Minnesota Vikings, who were committed to drafting a quarterback, had he known Atlanta was going to do the same.
“Certainly, if I had the information around free agency, it certainly would’ve affected my decision,” Cousins said, via ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. “I had no reason to leave Minnesota with how much we loved it there if both teams are going to be drafting a quarterback high. But I’ve also learned in 12 years in this league that you’re not entitled to anything. It’s all about being able to earn your spot and prove yourself.”
The Vikings, of course, would not have given Cousins $100 million guaranteed. They were committed to moving on at that point and drafted J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick. But if Cousins did not have many options outside of Atlanta, it is possible he would have returned to Minnesota on some sort of bridge deal.
The Falcons have tried to trade Cousins, but no one wants to take on the remainder of his 4-year, $180 million contract. The 36-year-old also has a no-trade clause and probably is not inclined to waive it unless he has a clear path to a starting job elsewhere.
For now, Cousins appears committed to being the highest-paid backup in the NFL.
