With Michael Penix Jr. sidelined, the Atlanta Falcons presented Kirk Cousins with the perfect opportunity to revive his career in Week 8. Against the weak Miami Dolphins secondary, all eyes were on the 37-year-old to see if he could capitalize on his return to the spotlight and boost his trade value.
However, Cousins did the exact opposite, effectively silencing any doubts fans had about Penix's qualifications upon his return. The 37-year-old completed just 21 of 31 pass attempts for just 173 passing yards and was severely out-played by a struggling Tua Tagovailoa in the 34-10 loss.
Despite being looked at as one of the most popular trade candidates prior to the NFL Trade Deadline, the four-time Pro Bowler might have just done irreparable damage to his trade value. If he's moved, he would likely only net the Dirty Birds a Day 3 pick—but the market for him just evaporated entirely.
Kirk Cousins' awful Week 8 confirmed he will remain a Falcon through the end of 2025
This was a clear fumble by Terry Fontenot, as he had a golden opportunity to move the veteran during the offseason while trade interest was at its peak, but instead chose to retain him as insurance behind Penix.
The NFL's seventh ranked offense entering week 8 was averaging over 360 total yards per game, but a weak Miami Dolphins held them to just 213 total yards. Moreover, the run game was nonexistent, which made Cousins' dismal performance even less surprising.
Many still believed that the Michigan State product was still a viable NFL starter—even at this stage in his career—but this might no longer be the case. The mix of his contract, age, and injury history with his torn Achilles suffered in 2023 make Kirko Chainz a risky acquisition for any QB-needy team.
He signed a four-year $180 million deal with the Falcons last offseason, and is quickly rising up the ranks of worst moves in franchise history. He made just 14 starts before Penix took over, and once Penix returns from his bone bruise, it's more clear now than ever that the 25-year-old is QB1.
While it is worth noting that Atlanta was missing Drake London in the loss, he didn't do much to get Bijan Robinson going. He wasn't operating on the same wavelength as Darnell Mooney or KhaDarrel Hodge either, so Kyle Pitts was the only pass-catcher to have a solid game.
Cousins was among the best quarterbacks in football just a few seasons ago, but his dramatic fall from grace in Atlanta just hit a low point that's left Fontenot with no options to cut ties with him until the offseason.