The Atlanta Falcons are traveling to Minnesota to face the Vikings in Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season.
The matchup marks the second time in as many seasons the Falcons are playing the Vikings. While the major story of last year’s meeting was Kirk Cousins playing against his former team, the narrative has shifted to a younger pair of quarterbacks in 2025.
This time, Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and Vikings signal-caller J.J. McCarthy are set to go head-to-head for the first time of their NFL careers. It will mark the first meeting between the two 2024 first-round picks since they squared off in the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship Game for Washington (Penix) and Michigan (McCarthy).
Penix will look to gain a measure of revenge against McCarthy, whose Wolverines defeated Penix’s Huskies 34-13 in the championship.
But where will Cousins be during Sunday’s game? Here’s what to know about the quarterback’s role with the Falcons for his age-37 season.
Is Kirk Cousins still on the Falcons?
Yes, Cousins is still on the Falcons. The 37-year-old has simply been relegated to backup duty behind Penix during the duo’s second seasons in Atlanta.
Despite losing his starting job, Cousins remains in Atlanta after signing a four-year, $180 million contract with the team as a free agent in 2024. The veteran requested a trade away from the Falcons, but Atlanta decided to keep him after being unable to find what it believed to be a suitable trade package for the four-time Pro Bowler.
As a result, Cousins remains with the Falcons as the NFL’s highest-paid backup quarterback.
Why isn’t Kirk Cousins starting?
Cousins lost his starting job at the end of the 2024 NFL season. He was benched for the final three games of the season amid a five-game stretch during which he completed 62.7% of his passes for 1,180 yards, one touchdown and nine interceptions while leading Atlanta to just a 1-4 record.
‘After review we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward,’ Falcons coach Raheem Morris said in a statement at the time. ‘This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.’
Penix completed 58.1% of his passes for 775 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions across the three games. The Falcons evidently liked what they saw from the rookie in the small sample size, as Atlanta announced it planned to move forward with the Washington product as its starter.
That relegated Cousins to the backup role, where he has remained after the Falcons decided to hold onto him through the offseason.
Kirk Cousins stats 2024
Cousins got off to a hot start in his first season with the Falcons – he threw for 509 yards and four touchdowns in Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – but cooled as the campaign progressed.
Below is a look at Cousins’ stats from his first season in Atlanta:
- Starts: 14
- Record: 7-7
- Completion %: 66.9%
- Passing yards: 3,508
- Passing TDs: 18
- INTs: 16
- Yards/attempt: 7.7
- Passer rating: 88.6
- QBR: 47.0
- PFF Grade: 74.3 (23rd of 44 QBs with 150-plus dropbacks)
Cousins’ passer rating of 88.6 was his lowest in a single season since 2014, when he started just five games for Washington. It ranked 22 among 36 qualified quarterbacks but was just slightly below the NFL’s league-average of 92.3 for the season.
Cousins’ 16 interceptions were a career-worst and tied Baker Mayfield for the NFL lead.
Falcons QB depth chart
The Falcons have three quarterbacks in their organization, but just two on their 53-man roster. Below is a look at the unit’s pecking order:
- Michael Penix Jr.
- Kirk Cousins
- Easton Stick (practice squad)
The Falcons also have Feleipe Franks – who played quarterback during his college career at Florida and Arkansas before signing as an undrafted free agent with Atlanta in 2021 – on their roster at tight end. The 27-year-old has only thrown one career pass, which was intercepted.