The 2025 Atlanta Falcons season is all about Michael Penix Jr.
Or, at least it should be, but it won't be. Terry Fontenot's decision not to trade Kirk Cousins has essentially handed Raheem Morris a ticking time bomb that won't be defused any time soon.
Atlanta Falcons' OTAs bring attention to the place they don't want it
Quarterbacks will always be the top topic of conversation as long as the forward pass is legal—no position is more important.
And it isn't always the starter who attract the attention.
Kirk Cousins, the expensive backup passer in Atlanta, chose to stay away from voluntary activities this week, and it has been the only thing on the minds of the media.
This comes a week after he showed up to conditioning. It has caused early whiplash for all of us.
It detracts the attention and praise from who it should be on: Michael Penix Jr., and things are only going to get worse.
There is no end in sight. Assuming the Steelers sign Aaron Rodgers, the Falcons will be left waiting for a quarterback injury on a desperate contending team. Who knows how long that could take.
In all likelihood, the Dirty Birds will enter the season with the world's most expensive backup.
That is, if things don't explode before then. While Cousins is a respectful person, at what point does he take a stand and do everything he can to find a new team?
Suddenly, the focus that should be on Michael Penix Jr. is on a guy who doesn't even want to be on the team. The franchise is walking a scary tightrope.
How could this issue not at least occupy a part of his mind that should be focused on football? Cousins was his mentor as a rookie; it has to bring some sense of disappointment.
This distraction can't do any good for a team that is hoping to break a long playoff drought. Hopefully, this issue will be resolved soon, allowing everyone to move forward.