Ian Cunningham and the Atlanta Falcons took the start of NFL Combine week with the confirmation that they are releasing Kirk Cousins on the first day of the new league year. It was expected, but seeing such public confirmation this soon was something that caught many Falcons fans by surprise.
Since the Falcons are purely cutting Cousins to cut costs, there has been speculation that they would be willing to bring him back on a cheaper contract to back up Michael Penix Jr. But instead, Cunningham nipped that discussion in the bud, as he revealed to the media that won't be happening.
Ian Cunningham: “We won’t re-sign Kirk.”
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) February 24, 2026
The 40-year-old took the podium on Tuesday morning during the combine, mere moments after he confirmed the release of Cousins in the first place. He touched on several interesting topics, but most of that was overshadowed by the on-air bombshell he dropped while appearing on 929 The Game.
The veteran signal-caller was never expected back in Atlanta after the Dirty Birds reworked his contract to defer his entire 2026 cap hit to 2027. And Cunningham rightfully didn't want to pay Cousins nearly $68 million in 2027 when Michael Penix Jr. will most likely still be the starting QB.
Kirk Cousins not returning to the Falcons means they'll be involved in the QB carousel in some capacity this offseason
The release of the four-time Pro Bowler and his unlikely return means that the Falcons will definitely be players on the QB market this offseason. And that isn't for a lack of faith in Penix, but the new regime has to be cautious regarding his health now that he's rehabbing another major knee injury.
The quarterback that has most frequently come to mind in Atlanta is Joe Flacco due to his ties to both Cunningham and Kevin Stefanski and his experience in this system. Like Cousins, he's proven that he still has good football left in the tank despite his age, but will be significantly cheaper to sign.
Regardless, since we are expecting Penix to be back from his torn ACL recovery in time for Week 1 of 2026, odds are that he'll be the Week 1 starter. This new regime clearly believes in him, especially Stefanski and Matt Ryan, and retaining Cousins would have been a distraction to his development.
Assuming he wants to keep playing, the 38-year-old will look to find a starting job somewhere else, but it wont be in Atlanta. This probably means that Flacco coming to town feels like a lock, while the looming divorce between Cousins and the Falcons is definitely best for both parties when Penix is still looked at as the face of the franchise.