Kirk Cousins comes to 4-year deal agreement with Falcons
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 31: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on from the sidelines before the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Ge
ATLANTA - The Atlanta Falcons have reached an agreement to sign Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Cousins' agent, Mike McCartney, tweeted the news Monday afternoon, stating Cousins has agreed to a four-year deal with the Falcons.
Cousins most recently spent six years with the Vikings, but missed half of the 2023 season due to an Achilles tendon injury. Prior to that, he was quarterback for the Washington Commanders.
Atlanta had a glaring need at quarterback after cycling through Tyler Heinicke and Desmond Ridder last season, and Cousins' wife, Julie, grew up in the metro area.
Cousins had a 103.8 passer rating in eight games for the Vikings last season, which was still the third best in the league despite the lost time.
The epitome of a late bloomer, Cousins enjoyed largely the most effective performances of his career since the Vikings hired coach Kevin O'Connell in 2022.
They were going to need a succession plan regardless of how this negotiation played out, though, considering Cousins' age and their commitment to a "competitive rebuild," as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has termed it several times.
The Vikings were serious in their desire to continue with Cousins , but given their cap situation and the recent improvement and outlook around them by their NFC North foes they had to have a limit about how much - and for how long - they could guarantee.
Cousins, for as much as he wanted to finish his career with Minnesota, he also made clear he wanted to be valued with a commitment beyond a token year.
"It's not about the dollars, but what the dollars represent," was how Cousins put it in an interview with reporters on Jan. 8.
Cousins has not only been the consummate overachiever on the field, from afterthought college recruit to fourth-round draft pick to currently 24th place on the NFL's all-time list in career passing yards (39,471), but he has mastered the business side of the game with the guidance of his agent Mike McCartney.
After playing on consecutive franchise tags for Washington in 2016 and 2017, Cousins cashed in as the rare starting quarterback to hit free agency in 2018 when the Vikings had salary cap space and a pressing need at the position after an NFC championship game appearance. He got the first fully guaranteed, multi-year contract in league history for a quarterback when he signed for $84 million.
Just over the past eight seasons, Cousins has earned more than $228 million. He has won only one playoff game, after the 2019 season.
The Vikings restructured Cousins' deal a year ago without giving him any new money, resulting in a $28.5 million salary cap hit in 2024 for the remaining signing bonus proration if they didn't reach an extension before the new league year officially starts on Wednesday afternoon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.