Kirk Cousins saved one of his best performances for a familiar victim.
Videos by FanBuzz
Getty Images
On Thursday night, Cousins torched the Buccaneers again, beating Tampa Bay for the third straight time since signing with Atlanta. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted, Cousins followed last season's franchise-record 509-yard passing night against the Bucs with another prime-time gem, throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns in a 29-28 win.
This run was never part of the original script. Cousins reclaimed the QB1 job only after rookie Michael Penix Jr. was lost for the season. His seven starts in 2025 have been uneven, but Thursday served as a reminder that Cousins still has a flair for the spotlight, especially against a division rival with postseason ambitions.
Which brings us to the bigger question. What happens next?
Under the four-year deal Cousins signed in 2024, Atlanta owes him $45 million in 2026, with $10 million already fully guaranteed. The prevailing belief is that the Falcons will move on.
Because that guaranteed money is offset, Cousins would almost certainly make more than $10 million on the open market, allowing Atlanta to avoid paying the rest if it releases him early in the 2026 league year.
Cousins has already carved out a bronze bust in the broken-bank Hall of Fame, earning $321 million through 2025. He chose Atlanta because it offered two years and $90 million fully guaranteed. With the Falcons unlikely to push that total to $135 million, free agency appears inevitable.
And the timing is favorable. Veteran quarterbacks with starting experience are in short supply. NFL teams such as the Jets, Steelers, Browns, Colts, Raiders, Saints and Cardinals could come calling. Even a Vikings reunion cannot be ruled out if J.J. McCarthy stalls.
Whether it is Atlanta on a reworked deal or someone else entirely, Cousins is almost certain to cash another hefty check. It may not be top-of-market, but at this rate, creeping toward $400 million in career earnings does not feel far-fetched at all.
