Once again, we are talking about the NFL potentially punishing the Atlanta Falcons because Kirk Cousins likes to talk...
Cousins was interviewed on Good Morning Football for a sponsorship on Tuesday. He passingly mentioned getting healthy which sparked the question of if he was healthy. He explains how he took a hit against the Saints that messed up his throwing elbow and shoulder and while he never specifically reveals how long he was injured, he essentially admits to fully recovering (~4:00 min mark).
.@KirkCousins8 joins the show to discuss the #SuperBowlLIX matchup, what's in store for his future, and his excitement for the P&G Battle of the Paddles🏓@TheRokuChannel | Check local listings pic.twitter.com/37HbFXdTBA
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) February 4, 2025
The reactions to this were surprising because many acted like this was new information -- it wasn't. Cousins showed up on the injury report with an elbow and shoulder the week after the divisional matchup. He was listed as a limited participant on Monday but returned in full for the rest of the week.
However, the weeks after are what may cost the Falcons a few dollars.
Atlanta Falcons could be fined after Kirk Cousins' latest comments
After getting beatdown by the Denver Broncos, the Atlanta Falcons headed into their bye week -- the only week during the regular season where teams are exempt from providing injury reports. But, after that, it is business as usual as teams must report any injuries to players.
This is when things get shaky for the Atlanta Falcons; according to them, he was only injured for a week, and possibly through the bye week.
Anyone who watched him play after the Broncos game knows he wasn't healthy. His passes had no zip and he was incredibly hesitant.
The NFL clearly states that any lingering injury must be listed on the injury report until fully healed. Also, the official rules literally state reporting injuries to quarterbacks and key players are held to a higher standard -- two descriptions Cousins fits.
I don't think there is doubt in anyone's mind that the Falcons broke the rules -- whether intentional or not is another question. The question of if they will be fined comes down to two things: if NFL cares enough (based on past fines, I think they would) and if they can reasonably say Raheem Morris' team misreported Cousins' status (I also think there is enough proof).
The league can also dock draft picks for violating this rule. That is incredibly concerning for the Falcons, who have already been docked a pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, because Cousins plays an important position and it directly correlated with the downfall of the team. It played a huge role in the sports betting industry; how many people would have changed their bets if they knew the starting quarterback was injured?
Anyway, we shall see if Kirk Cousins just cost his organization another mountain of money (or worse, draft picks), or if they will finally catch a break.