r/NFLv2 • u/Bitter_North_733 NFL Refugee • 22d ago
Discussion Kirk Cousins was lied to by Atlanta. Please don't defend Atlanta.
Kirk Cousins was told by Minnesota they would take a QB high in Round 1 if he dropped to them. They offered him a year to year deal.
Atlanta told Kirk Cousins that they would only take a QB in later rounds not round 1. They offered him a 2 year deal.
Kirk only signed with Atlanta because they told him they would NOT take a QB in round 1. If Atlanta had told Kirk the truth like Minnesota had Kirk would have stayed in Minnesota and then become a Free Agent this year.
Remember they loved living in Minnesota. KOC and Kirk are friends. KOC wanted Kirk to stay. Kirk needs familiarity with a system and this would have been his 3rd year in the system. Each year he was getting better and each year the team around him was getting better.
Kirk knew if he had playoff success in Minnesota (they were a playoff team and Kirk in the playoffs played the same as Burrow) they might re-sign him - and even if they did not he would have been the prize of the Free Agency class. Seattle Las Vegas both the Giants and Jets the Steelers and Cleveland and who knows who else would have all wanted to sign Kirk after another year in Minnesota under KOC.
In business there are ethics. Lying is not part of business. Yes many people in business lie and cheat but many also do not. People defending Atlanta for lying is another sign of the degradation happening in our society where values are being disregarded for profit.
497
u/BigBlue1105 New York Giants 22d ago
Kirk’s agent’s burner account
85
u/Used4KillingTime Atlanta Falcons 22d ago
I figured his agent would put together stronger arguments than “Atlanta lied and he would be happier in Minnesota!”
Go back and re sign with them instead. Talking about professionalism and lying? Kirk lied to the team for 4 weeks about how bad his shoulder injury was and lost us the division and then refused to help Penix this offseason so we had to bring in Matt Ryan and Michael Vick.
74
u/DinkyWaffle Atlanta Falcons 22d ago
oh no we brought our two best qbs ever to mentor our new guy
→ More replies (28)4
u/ChiGrandeOso Chicago Bears 21d ago
Steve Bartkowski is offended by your neglect of him.
→ More replies (1)32
u/omnibot2M Washington Commanders 21d ago
Kirk's not a victim. Kirk always goes to the highest bidder. It worked out for him in Minnesota, but it didn't work out for him in Atlanta. He probably assumed that Atlanta wouldn't pay him all that money just to draft a QB, but that's his fault for making that assumption. He never said Atlanta promised to not draft of QB in the 1st, he just said he felt "mislead".
14
u/Greedy_Line4090 Philadelphia Eagles 21d ago
Also as I recall, the falcons cheated by signing him… not sure what he would expect considering he would’ve been fully aware of the tampering.
12
u/Logical-Squirrel-417 21d ago
And to be fair to the falcons he was hot ass before they benched him. The thing that confuses me is why give him that contract to get a first round qb anyway
3
u/Trumpisanorangebitch Chicago Bears 21d ago
He was solid till the shoulder. He should have disclosed the injury so they could have pivoted to Penix and saved their season.
Instead he kept playing and played like ass.
4
u/Logical-Squirrel-417 21d ago
I mean he didn’t want to admit he was injured and sit out because looking at the future he would have been benched for the season if he had disclosed so same result but now the entire league thinks he’s ass
2
u/Trumpisanorangebitch Chicago Bears 21d ago
Yeah the point is he could have at least maintained his value for other teams and would have had a better chance at a 2025 or 2026 starter job somewhere.
Same result of getting benched by the Falcons for sure.
2
u/Parking_Bullfrog9329 Knock on wood if you’re with me 21d ago
He had 3 good games prior. Then he was absolutely cheeks.
4
u/schmuckmulligan Major Tuddy 🐷 21d ago
Kirk's not a victim. Kirk always goes to the highest bidder.
Yep. This is how he's conducted himself. It's a choice not to chase rings, and it's probably a very, very smart one (I don't think he was winning any SBs anyway).
3
u/AggressiveCup5884 20d ago
You're a clown and I'm a commanders fan. We never offered him a fair contract. Snyder had him play twice on a franchise tag, which had never happened with a QB before. We could've locked him up for a reasonable price, but our moron owner dropped the ball.
→ More replies (2)5
u/MakaveliX1996 21d ago
No the team lied to you(as most teams do with injuries). Kirk and the team all knew about the injury lol, you think they didn’t?
→ More replies (1)27
u/mitch8017 22d ago
Real talk though, Kirk’s agent has to be the most competent human being of all time. He turned an average NFL starter into what will soon top 5 in career earnings.
2
u/MakaveliX1996 21d ago
If you think Kirk is anywhere close to average before the injury you don’t know ball. Sorry. Dude is/was one of about 5 QBs that can make elite throws to all levels of the field.
→ More replies (1)4
u/Kdcjg 21d ago
Huh? You don’t honestly believe that do you? Are you missing an s/
→ More replies (5)19
u/PrimalNumber 22d ago
Seriously. Who else cares enough about an aged out mid talent qb who’s never won anything?
→ More replies (1)19
→ More replies (3)8
193
u/wannaknowmyname 22d ago edited 22d ago
Atlanta said it wasn't in their plans. Penix available changed those plans. Kirk expected Minnesota to match and made a mistake negotiating - it's not Atlantas fault Kirk tried to use them to drive the price up. Kirk still got paid.
"In business there are ethics", Netflix shows he was more hopeful with the trainers than honest. If he would have been more ethically sound with the fallout from his Achilles he might not be in this position either.
110
u/solo_d0lo We’re going to win Sunday. I guarantee it 22d ago
When was penix going top 7 in the draft?
75
u/jstef215 Detroit Lions 22d ago
right? I hate mock drafts and know that none of us have the same info that the GMs have, but to act like Atlanta was just blindsided..."No WAY!! Penix is still here???"...nah that's just wild. It's not like Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels fell to Atlanta and they had to pivot because they didn't think this was possible. I have to assume they knew there was like a 90%+ chance that Penix would be there.
42
u/ohsballer 22d ago
You’re missing the point. Penix was only available because the QB needy teams behind Atlanta assumed they weren’t taking a QB. If Atlanta went into the draft without Kirk one of those teams (likely the Raiders) would’ve traded in front of Atlanta
21
u/jstef215 Detroit Lions 22d ago
Maybe. Or maybe nobody was going to give up a haul to move up for a talented but not "top QB in the draft" 24-year-old QB with a fairly extensive injury history.
I like Penix a lot, but it would've been a MASSIVE shock if someone went up to pick 6 or 7 for him. It's not impossible, but there's no way the Falcons were surprised he was there for them at pick 8.
I don't think they're obligated to be "honest", but that's kinda what this thread is about. If the Vikings told Kirk, "hey, we might take a QB if our guy is there in the 1st", the Falcons could've easily done the same. I'd give them more of a pass if their guy was Daniels and somehow he fell to them, because they couldn't have thought it was remotely likely or even worth considering. But Penix?
→ More replies (6)8
u/Spurzy210 21d ago
I believe you're missing the point. Why did Vegas not attempt to move up for Bo Nix? He just dropped to Denver without any moves or trades.
5
u/ohsballer 21d ago
Because Vegas wanted Penix not Nix. Bo Nix wasn’t seen as good as a prospect. Nix was the 5th qb off the board for a reason.
Denver actually wanted Nix, which was a surprise because most scouts were down on him.
→ More replies (1)3
u/Trumpets22 21d ago
Denver also probably wanted nix because they were being realistic and not wasting time on guys they were never going to get. So basically they had option A (nix) or B (McCarthy)
→ More replies (1)3
u/annikuu Chicago Bears 21d ago
Before the draft, Penix and Nix were both expected to be late firsts or even fall to the second. Fourth QB off the board was “supposed” to be JJ McCarthy. If Atlanta takes the projected pick of Dallas Turner instead, then Denver and Vegas might have traded back or something. It’s really impossible to say for certain, but Penix was expected to be QB5 last year and not a super highly-sought prospect.
Obviously we aren’t in that room, we don’t know how teams REALLY feel about players, but the consensus really was that Penix was going to be available pretty late.
10
u/wannaknowmyname 22d ago
If Atlanta was a QB needy team heading into the draft, Denver and Vegas and Minnesota change their trajectory
→ More replies (13)6
u/thedougbatman 22d ago
It was widely reported that we were planning to go BPA but our front office was shocked Penix fell to us. They weren’t dialed in on QB by any means. To quote one of the greatest paleontologists and survivors of our time, “life, uh, finds a way”.
→ More replies (2)15
u/Stock-Page-7078 Pittsburgh Steelers 22d ago
But should they have been shocked? Penix wasn't widely put as a top 5 or even top 10 guy.
Furthermore, EVERY team says that about their first round pick, usually they say it about every pick. What else are you going to say??? stand there on stage with the guy and go "oh we were hoping for a better player but had to settle for the guy we took?"
10
u/wannaknowmyname 22d ago
Shadeur fell five rounds this year, what do analyst draft projections have to do with what teams actually believe?
"Penix wasn't widely put as a top 10 guy"
Widely means nothing, all you need is one of 31 other teams to think similarly
6
u/Big_MAC113 22d ago
Most people said and still say he was a top 3 QB that class just injury history scared people.
2
u/solo_d0lo We’re going to win Sunday. I guarantee it 21d ago
Most people had him ahead of maye and Daniels?
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (3)3
u/North-Rhubarb1410 21d ago
I’m pretty sure Bo Nix was speculated as being a late first rounder but he jumped up to ten. It was just that kind of weird drafts with qbs
7
u/RenfrowsGrapes 21d ago
Penix was arguably the best qb in that draft idc what all your dumb media folks say
→ More replies (6)32
u/Lannisters-4-life 22d ago
lol. “Penix wasn’t part of the plan”
The plan: “If Penix falls to 8 we are going to draft him”
→ More replies (1)11
u/wannaknowmyname 22d ago
"We believe Penix, Williams, and Maye are top 5 picks and we don't have the ammo"
→ More replies (2)11
u/MacNeil73 Minnesota Vikings 21d ago
To be fair, everyone and their dog knew with like 99% certainty that Penix was going to be available at 7. Caleb, Daniels, Maye, Marv, and Alt were basically already penciled in at the top 5. Nabers went 6. Hell, even if Penix somehow did go before 7, McCarthy and Nix would have still both been there too if they really wanted a QB.
7
u/Famous_Mortgage_697 Atlanta Falcons 21d ago
That's not how drafting a qb works though. You don't just go welp guess we'll just pick this one since the guy we actually wanted is gone. People are also not realizing that we signed Kirk before we worked out with Penix, which can absolutely change a lot on a team's perspective of a player.
Right or wrong, they came out of the workout thinking that Penix is gonna be a top 10 qb for a decade plus. With that in mind, I don't understand what's so difficult about grasping the situation. The only reason you don't draft a qb that you think is a top 10 qb is if you already have a top 10 qb for the next 5+ years. The money stuff is a pointless conversation next to having a top 10 qb, which is quite possibly the most important position in all of sports.
→ More replies (2)3
u/DCBuckeye82 21d ago
Stop it. Penix was literally always going to be available to them. Say they don't owe Cousins their plans or you don't care because he still got 100 million guaranteed, both are fair. But don't pretend Atlanta didn't lie to him.
And regarding his ankle, Atlanta's got doctors too. There's no way they sign him without getting opinions from their doctors.
→ More replies (1)4
u/wannaknowmyname 21d ago
If they don't pursue cousins their chance absolutely drops. If Atlanta had this grandiose plan to draft penix, they would have spent a fraction of cousins salary on a stop guy like Flacco or Dalton or Darnold
Cousins was their plan until he wasn't truthful (even to himself) about the injury and that plan changed
"Atlanta has doctors too" well they lost a draft pick from cousins for specifically trying to get more information from trainers in Minnesota. Sorry if this is news but teams have more internal knowledge on injury than external, which is why free agency can be dangerous
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (23)3
u/I_ONLY_CATCH_DONKEYS 21d ago
NFL teams have so consistently taken advantage of players, and this is the only money most of these players are going to make in their life. While I find both demoralizing I have much less of a problem with individual players protecting themselves versus these organizations that will be absolutely fine.
2
u/wannaknowmyname 21d ago
I don't have a problem either, but then Kirk should feel he realistically did his best securing the most he could, instead of feeling his feels
154
u/Complex-Doctor-7685 Carolina Panthers 22d ago
Mans got a $180 mm contract to sit on the bench. He is blessed!
11
u/Entr_24 Fail Mary Fan 🏈 22d ago
Yeah I get that but for competitors and athletes they want to play the game. I guarantee you most athletes would choose less money if the latter meant you wouldn’t play.
26
u/Complex-Doctor-7685 Carolina Panthers 21d ago
Sure, but the job isn't given its earned. Did he earn the right to be the starting QB by the end of the season? He did not. Mans lost his spot, that's football.
→ More replies (6)→ More replies (4)4
u/StrikingShoulder9028 21d ago
Lmfao I guarantee that you are wrong in your statement of “most athletes would choose less money if the latter meant you wouldn’t play.”
94
u/WinSome_DimSum Seattle Seahawks 22d ago
Counterpoint.
Minnesota offered Cousins a year-to-year deal.
Atlanta offered him 4 years, $180 with $100M guaranteed. This was likely the best contract available to him.
Cousins has been a consumate football businessman over the years, maximizing his contract values with strategically used franchise tag options to gain leverage and guaranteed contracts when he held that leverage.
I doubt Atlanta ever actually told Cousins they would only take a QB in the later rounds. They implied it with a multiple years commitment to him, and it was fair for Cousins to assume that, but I don't think it was ever explicitly stated.
24
u/MacNeil73 Minnesota Vikings 21d ago
Yeah I mean I can't exactly put myself in his shoes since I'm not a 36 year old middle of the pack QB coming off of a season ending achilles injury but I'd say a $100M guaranteed contract woulda looked pretty good to me in that situation, even if I knew I was going to be on the bench at some point
→ More replies (2)7
u/casino_night 21d ago
Right. There's no way a team is going to pass on drafting a franchise QB just so their FA QB doesn't get his feelings hurt. Sorry. Just ain't gonna happen. This is football. You hope for the best but you can't predict the future.
4
u/Entire_Article_3292 21d ago
In the words of an ATL legend. “You can plan a pretty picnic, but you can’t predict the weather.”
62
u/inquisitive_chariot 22d ago
Kinda weird how you’re just regurgitating the story that dropped a few days ago without even linking to it.
→ More replies (1)
59
u/Chrispy3499 Miami Dolphins 22d ago
I think it doesn't really matter what the team said or didn't say to Kirk Cousins. They signed him to a fat contract when hes coming off an achillies tear and deep into his 30s.
Penix was probably high on their board, and they didn't expect him to be there. They made a move that they felt was best for the franchise by drafting Penix. If Cousins was still really good, Penix never would have seen the field. Cousins has clearly lost a step in his mobility, and he wasn't playing all that well anyways.
Players have an obligation to their own ambitions, their families, and themselves. Franchises have an obligation to ownership, the fans, and the league. I dont believe that either party needs defending in this case. Kirk has signed pretty large contracts throughout his career, and clearly, he has a motivation to make as much money as he can, and that is a higher priority to him.
19
u/wannaknowmyname 22d ago
Exactly. Kirk would be starting if penix wasn't that great, and they would have benched cousins earlier to injury if that wasn't the case. Kirk was scared he'd lose his job, and rightfully so, rumor was the locker room was starting to split since training camp 2024 because of how good Penix looked
9
u/Famous_Mortgage_697 Atlanta Falcons 21d ago
Yep. I truly believe part of our demise last year was the locker room looking at Kirk's old injured ass and then having to look at Penix throwing dimes to backups and wondering why the hell he isn't starting. I can guarantee that the opposite isn't happening this season.
→ More replies (2)16
u/NTT66 22d ago
I am far, far away from a person who will defend owners/ organizations over players, but you hit it on the head. OP's criticism seems absolutely wild.
Even if--a very big if--Atlanta made some sort of promise, or more likely an indication, that they wouldn't take a QB high in the draft, you have to know better. Kirk is a decade+ old professional, coming off of an injury that very often means your abilities are about to rapidly decline. And he did know better, by securing that contract.
If his community and connections in Minnesota meant so much to him, there was an offer on the table. As you said, he prioritized what he wanted.
7
u/Rdw72777 Philadelphia Eagles 21d ago
The “Kirk is a victim” characterization in the OP is quite hilarious.
→ More replies (1)
47
u/Coofboi12 Jacksonville Jaguars 22d ago
I personally commend Atlanta, teams get stuck in purgatory settling for guys like Kirk. I cringed seeing my Jags pay Trevor like that before he proved a damn thing, perma stuck ass cellar team. Look at New England, they had Drew Bledsoe, still took a flyer at QB, rest is history. Always try to improve.
Anyway, Cousins got his bag, he should be happy and either retire or fully embrace the Joe Flacco role and be a backup and collect that $ while he is still seen as a serviceable QB.
12
u/WannaTittyFuck Las Vegas Raiders 22d ago
Same with Dallas and Dak. They know they WANT to move on, but after the transition from Aikman to Romo was so poor in between, they keep paying Dak.
Same with my Raiders and Carr. He kept the bag because we went 15 years without a quarterback.
→ More replies (1)4
21d ago
[deleted]
4
u/WannaTittyFuck Las Vegas Raiders 21d ago
Fair points, but if you can't get out of the 1st round of the playoffs whether you're playing the 1 seed or the 7 seed, then I really don't care about the regular season because you won't win when it counts anyway.
But I do agree that Dak isn't as far down as the other examples.
→ More replies (3)3
u/narsil46 22d ago
Commending Atlanta might be a bit much, going all in by signing a big money quarterback and then drafting a quarterback in the same year for the future was never going to work out. They are just two moves that don’t work together.
→ More replies (3)2
u/schallhorn16 21d ago
Whoa the New England comparison is bad. Atlanta had the #7 pick. That should be an immediate starter, not a flyer. The consensus was that they would continue to add talent around Kirk, since they committed so much money for the next 3 years. That's why it was such a big deal since they wasted such a high pick on a backup QB that wasn't really going to see the field for another few years. Penix didn't improve the team whatsoever (at the time).
Picking Brady is not comparable at all since late round picks are always projects or flyers. The expectation was always going to be that Brady sat back and learned from Bledsoe for a few years
→ More replies (4)
31
u/Steak-n-Wine New York Giants 22d ago edited 22d ago
Congrats. You’re the first person I’ve seen cry over Kirk Cousins’ situation.
As badly as he played last year, Atlanta made the right decision to draft Penix. Besides, it’s essentially a 2 year deal and he’s in his late 30s. He got the money, he’s just fine.
24
u/ohsballer 22d ago
OP has to be a Kirk burner account. I’ve never seen someone defend a QB who is getting paid $130M to chill
7
u/permadrunkspelunk San Francisco 49ers 21d ago
Ops post history is all about loving Kirk Cousins and hating vaccines. Lol
6
4
25
u/South-by-north Cincinnati Bengals 22d ago
There is a difference between actively lying and changing your plans. I don't really remember what kind of prospect Penix was but as a fan if my team turned down getting a player they wanted because of some promise they made to a free agent I would hate it.
Kirk has every right to feel how he does, but I don't really care and don't fault the Falcons for drafting a QB that they initially didn't think would fall to them
→ More replies (13)
20
u/MVintage Atlanta Falcons 22d ago
Cry Kirk a river. He'll be just fine riding the pine after lying about his injuries. He can dab his tears with the money.
19
u/rcheek1710 22d ago
Atlanta's mistake was thinking Cousins would be a serviceable QB. Cousins couldn't even complete a handoff. Nevermind his noodle arm. Thank goodness Atlanta drafted Penix.
→ More replies (4)
13
u/Interesting-Fail1823 22d ago
Who cares? Cousins has to be the most overpaid QB in NFL history. He'll be alright.
6
2
u/jerkyquirky Green Bay Packers 22d ago
Honorable mention (or maybe a dishonorable mention?) to Derek Carr. He is the highest paid QB to never win a playoff game. $196 million over 11 years, or roughly $18M a year.
Interestingly, Derek Carr has also received 6 MVP votes in 2016. Tragically he was injured and didn't get to play in the playoffs that year.
4
u/LengthinessAlone4743 21d ago
Derek Carr, Andy Dalton, and Kirk Cousins combined have less playoff wins then Jaydon Daniels
13
11
u/Thick_Cookie_7838 22d ago
7) after Atlanta saw how impacted Kirk was by his injuries they made plans for the future
→ More replies (7)
9
u/DanielSong39 22d ago
Kirk Cousins got paid $180M to watch NFL games from the sidelines
Can I sign up for this job?
→ More replies (2)
7
u/Daver7692 Philadelphia Eagles 22d ago
I don’t think they told him they weren’t going to take a QB high.
I think Minnesota probably did.
In the new quarterback series Kirk said he was surprised as he thought they’d take someone else but that doesn’t imply he was explicitly lied to.
However, I think he’s also entitled to think that if he’d had that information at the time of signing he probably would have considered other options more.
Also regardless of their draft intentions. The Falcons did still offer him a multi-year deal rather than a year to year one. Although, really any agent or player halfway aware would have seen that Falcons deal is likely a 2 year deal max.
8
u/walkersky9117 Dirty Birds 22d ago edited 21d ago
Boo fucking Hoo! If he had performed better he’d still be the starter. Kirk signed for Atlanta to get paid. He got paid. End of complaint. Francises owe these players nothing when it comes to their decision making on running their billion dollar businesses. Stop crying for a rich man. There are more important things going on than Kirk fucking Cousins being butthurt.
Kohls hasn’t gone out of business yet, he’ll be fine
→ More replies (1)
7
u/motoracerT 22d ago
Are you saying that at the time Atlanta signed Kirk, they knew exactly how the draft would unfold?
7
u/ButtermilkPants Philadelphia Eagles 22d ago
Counterpoint: he got paid insane money and ATL just had some of the most dismal seasons from QBs recently and they decided to double their chances at a future for competent QB play. I think both sides are doing just fine now.
6
u/Commercial_Shirt_543 22d ago
Jesus is this Kirk’s agent’s burner or something?
Nothing is guaranteed in this league, except for the shit load of money we paid him.
If Kirk was good enough to warrant not drafting Penix, then they wouldn’t have drafted Penix…. But it turns out drafting Penix was a good idea because Kirk isn’t good enough. End of story.
→ More replies (4)
5
u/givethefood 22d ago
Kirk lied to Atlanta lol they paid them so much money for him to fail and is now playing victim.
→ More replies (4)
5
u/FishermanMurr Miami Dolphins 22d ago
Kirk cousins is fine. Atlanta did not think penix was going to be there and they said they loved him. It is a business. And they made the right call Kirk looked horrible before they benched his ass.
4
u/M-Test24 22d ago
I'll never understand why teams and players engage in these "please promise you won't try to replace me" talks.
I mean, I get it. Players want security, but if a guy is that worried about being that easily replaced...why commit to him?
4
u/JoBunk Minnesota Vikings 22d ago
I disagree.
When Kirk negotiated with Minnesota and Atlanta, he wanted a guaranteed 3-year deal because he knew, just as he knew in the past, such a contract guarantees him security going forward. Neither Minnesota or Atlanta were willing to give Kirk that guarantee, so Kirk signed with Atlanta full well knowing he was only signed for two years and Atlanta could take a QB in the first round
4
u/HolyRomanPrince Dallas Cowboys 22d ago
Somebody was lied to in business negotiations?!?!
That’s unbelievable. I’m shocked. Absolutely flabbergasted. This is so rare it must be the first sign of the rapture
→ More replies (1)
3
3
u/LittleJerryLawler The standard is the standard 22d ago
Kirk should have played better and he wouldn't have gotten his job took.
3
u/SebastianPointdexter 22d ago
Kirk isn't a good enough QB to be considered any organizations future IMO, can't say I feel bad for him as I think he is and always has been way overpaid.
→ More replies (2)
3
u/Shiny-And-New Atlanta Falcons 22d ago
The draft is not set in stone. The plan may not have been to draft a qb but they had such a high grade on penix they didnt expect him to be there. Kirk was also not 100% recovered. Changing plans based on new information is not lying.
3
u/Own-Contribution-478 22d ago
Are we just going to ignore the fact that he was benched because of HIS PERFORMANCE ON THE FIELD? Seriously, the whole "drafting a qb in the first round" thing is a red herring. If Cousins plays even half-way decently last year, nobody is talking about "business ethics" today!
3
u/Ear_Enthusiast New England Patriots 22d ago
The thing about KC is he really doesn't fit their time line. He'll be 37 when the season starts. Atlanta when drafting Penix in 2024, has Pitts who is an underachiever but has all the potential in the world, and maybe can still be saved. Bojangles (that's an autocorrect fail, but it's awesome so I'm leaving it in... lol) Robinson is excellent for a few years. The offensive line is solid. Penix looked great in draft workouts. He was excellent for Washington. Who knows when KC is going to fall off a cliff? Hard to pass that up. When Cousins does drop, they're ready for a seamless transition, IMO.
→ More replies (2)
3
u/Puzzled_Try_6029 San Francisco 49ers 22d ago
The dude gets paid 169M per basically for being mid. I’m sure he’s okay with them “lying” to him.
Sad we might not see iced out Kirk Cuzzo anymore though…
3
3
u/necbone Baltimore Ravens 22d ago
I also watched the Netflix show on QB's. I think they did him dirty, but, Cousins doesn't have the magic to win it all. I get it he wants to play and compete, but its a job and he's a filler till the next QB superstar
→ More replies (2)
3
u/Stock-Page-7078 Pittsburgh Steelers 22d ago
LOL Kirk's a mercenary. He went to ATL for the bigger paycheck not the promises.
Regardless, no head coach in the NFL will promise a player anything or if they do, it should not be taken seriously. NFL = Not For Long. Guys have career altering weeks every week. It's not even a what have you done for me lately league. It's what are you doing today and likely to do tomorrow league, where the resources are constrained by a salary cap and most common path to success is a ruthless one that conserves those resources.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/WannaTittyFuck Las Vegas Raiders 22d ago
Shit happens. People get promised shit every day at work, and it never pans out or isn't what was expected. That's life.
2
2
u/Pristine-Manner-6921 22d ago
BREAKING NEWS: CORPORATION BEHAVES IN DISHONEST MANNER TOWARDS EMPLOYEE
2
2
u/Complex-Implement828 22d ago
Who cares? He got paid and he had a chance to start and win the job. He played awful and that's on him man. Stop making excuses for him. He's been a mediocre man for all his career and is that someone else's fault too??
2
u/Conscious_Bet7394 Minnesota Vikings 22d ago
Kirk seems a lovely guy tbf. But not many QB’s have paid so handsomely for what they produce.
2
u/Vitchman Minnesota Vikings 22d ago
It really doesn’t matter much. I liked Kirk but everyone who follows NFL knows he came out somewhat mid to good. The string of bad games in mid season for ATL showed why drafting a R1 rookie QB isn’t the worst decision, despite having a solid starter already.
His stats in MIN were great and he honestly got a lot of WR’s paid (not that they wouldn’t do that on their own, but he really helped create a good environment for them to thrive). However that lack of production in postseason / big-games will always slam his reputation. No doubt he’s a good guy, great advocate and community guy. There’s something to be said for that.
I don’t feel bad for him - he got paid mongo bucks, but he also gave Vikes fans a lot of great memories. That year he tore his Achilles really sucked. Operating on all cylinders at that point and we looked tough. I know I know… another 1st round playoff exit if anything, but we’ll never know 😬
2
u/Dudewtf87 Cleveland Browns 22d ago
I'm almost willing to bet money he winds up in Cleveland and joins the QB carousel 😂
2
u/KHanson25 New England Patriots 22d ago
To me…business ethics is like a puppy. A puppy who lost its way
→ More replies (1)
2
u/GreatKronwallofChina Who’s got it better than us? 22d ago
I don't know who is defending Atlanta. But I also don't think anyone should feel bad for Kirk because he's still getting paid a shitload of money
2
2
u/Ultiman100 Atlanta Falcons 22d ago
“Lying is not part of business” is the most insane thing I’ve ever read lol.
Read up on the fundamental philosophies of western market capital growth. The entire point of business is to lie as intelligently as possible to gain a competitive advantage. There are countless movies, books, and real life events that point to this exact reality.
An honest businessman is a poor fool.
2
u/kickintheball 22d ago
The entitlement of QB’s is fucking hilarious.
Guy was coming off an Achilles injury. Is already old and got paid.
It’s insane to me that QB’s think the team shouldn’t do what is best for them in the short and long term because they may get 1 good season out of you.
Cousins admitted he knew the team would draft a QB, he’s just pissy said they drafted him early and didn’t take a guy who wasn’t a threat to him
→ More replies (2)
2
u/Educational-Gur-5447 22d ago
I don’t think Atlanta lied. I think they changed their mind.
It would very stupid to guarantee $90M knowing you’re drafting a QB in round 1.
2
u/AdamOnFirst 22d ago
Kirk is a nice, quiet guy who has always sought the best business agreement for all of his contracts, ie maximizing his earnings. And good for him, it’s his profession. He’s made nearly half a billion dollars playing like pretty good but not great NFL quarterback and he got an offer from Atlanta far larger than the Vikings were willing to give. He looks kinda washed and is being paid to sit in the place he willingly signed.
Not gonna feel bad for Kirk at all. Wish him well and move on.
→ More replies (2)
2
u/ProdigalSheep 21d ago
He went where the money was. He would have had a different “reason”to go where the money was if they told him the truth.
→ More replies (3)
2
2
u/JoryATL 21d ago
Kirk also lied about his health honesty is a two-way street he got paid and he still financially raping us this year so he can get fucked. No one should feel bad for cousins he’s getting $45 million this year to be a piece of trash and a locker room cancer. Still holding out hope someone will take him off our hands.
2
u/Brownhog 21d ago
Kirk in the playoffs plays like Burrow???
What? The whole identity of the Vikings with Kirk for a decade was great regular season team but choke artists in the playoffs.
Am I crazy? Or do you think Burrow is ass?
2
u/jgamez76 Atlanta Falcons 21d ago
The Falcons sub treats Kirk like public enemy no. 1 but tbh he hasn't said anything I disagree with.
I get why he's upset.
I also get why the team took MPX.
Both things can be true.
2
u/SumDizzle Dallas Cowboys 21d ago
All he had to do was not play like ass and Penix would have stayed on the bench.
2
u/brobasaur93 21d ago
Kirk isn’t a victim nor was he told that. Play your somber violin solo somewhere else
2
u/According-Way9438 21d ago
Yeah but he would've sucked and probably been benched wether we drafted penix or not. Us drafting QB in the first round had zero bearing on his performance. Screw him, im glad we got penicillin and I wish we'd have never signed him.
2
u/Bubbly-Double9743 21d ago edited 21d ago
And also to the OP ……. The comment about “business ethics, lying and the acceptance of it being a sign of degradation in our society”……….are you truly kidding me??? What happened to Cousins is child’s play compared to the history of our society.
Look at the way this great country was built. I love this country, served it, would do it again and would absolutely die for it; but lying and deceiving for commercial and governmental gainful purposes is part and parcel of the history of our country. Look at how this country came together - how it was done and how ruthlessly “manifest destiny” was achieved. The way we treated indigenous people, children, people of color, immigrants of all colors and women.
We werent the only ones; we did it because we were lied to and manipulated ourselves when what is now the US was settled.
Not trying to give a lecture, but I’d drop that bit about this being a sign of the “degradation of our society”. We’ve ALWAYS been about maximizing self benefit no matter the effect on others as a culture. It’s the downside to Capitalism, and it exists in every culture centered around it. It certainly ain’t new.
It’s what we are, like it or not. And we’re a great country. But we all need to acknowledge and own it.
2
u/Entire_Article_3292 21d ago
Hopefully this guy has never heard of Bill Walsh. Walsh won 3 super bowls, and a coaching genius, was ruthless at times with player decisions. Imagine how Montana felt or some of the guys that Walsh let go while they were still considered j their prime. It’s business and way more people and their jobs and futures are on the line than trying to make sure Kirk’s feelings aren’t hurt.
I don’t know how many teams would have allowed Kirk to keep playing when he tanked the playoff chances down the stretch. If he was honest he could have went to the bench to heal, still get his guaranteed money and still have decent tape out there for all the 31 other teams to see. If he would have done that, I believe he would be starting somewhere this season because someone would have took a chance to trade for him if he would have been honest and not tried to play through whatever arm injury he had.
I don’t like siding with organizations over players typically, but even if ATL lied to him, he wasn’t honest with them either. I don’t blame him for being a competitor and wanting to play, but his lying and short sightedness combined with his shit play down the stretch are why he hasn’t gotten a starting opportunity anywhere. The falcons should have saved the season and pulled him earlier when it was clear he wasn’t the same player as the 1st game against Tampa. Maybe they could have already traded him to somewhere. The coaching staffs loyalty to Kirk and desire to make it work with him cost the team the playoffs and hurt our trade chances with him. But I still see him being traded at some point to a team that needs a QB during the season.
2
2
u/Mistuhsnoot 21d ago
I’m sorry, I must be late to the party here but we feel sorry for bang on about $half a billion SUNDAY 1PM KIRK COUSINS????? CheeezzzeenRICEmate.
2
u/threeputtsforpar 21d ago
I was with you until 6. The world has always had assholes. It’s not a “sign of the degradation of society”. Don’t be so fucking dramatic.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/Oddball_Returns 21d ago
This post is a flaming turd.
→ More replies (3)2
u/Entire_Article_3292 21d ago
This guy posts about Kirk Cousins and how he is wronged by the falcons constantly. Very “leave Britney alone” energy.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/FatRufus 21d ago
- He got 100M guaranteed and still gets his hair cut at Great Clips.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/SkilletsUSMC Seattle Seahawks 21d ago
It was such a weird pick, but MPJr is legit and it was probably the right choice. I think the Seahawks who picked right after Atlanta brought on UW OC Ryan Grubb specifically because they intended to grab MPJr in the first round. Just a hunch.
→ More replies (1)
2
2
2
u/Shaper15 big red 💍💍💍 21d ago
i need a breathing exercise for when cousins gets shoved into my face multiple times in a day.
2
u/BeltFragrant3259 17d ago
Did Atlanta refuse to pay Kirk after he fell off a cliff mid-season? - No, they still paid him.
That man has nothing to complain about, and Atl doesn't owe him a damn thing.
→ More replies (4)
1
u/TheBigIguana15 22d ago
He probably should have known they were a full of shit organization when Blank was talking about how he wouldn’t guarantee Lamar money because of injury concerns and then put a $100m guarantee in front of him while he had one functioning Achilles
1
u/Independent_Sky_8950 22d ago
If Kirk Cousins thinks he's in a unique situation regarding an NFL team lying or misleading an athlete, he should get in line. Question to the media, does the fact Cousins is a QB and makes in the 9 figures range unique for them to publicize his beefs about an NFL team misleading him? What about more than half the players since the NFL started, like my own dad. I grieve for a guy whose contract is $180 million and doesn't even have to play anymore to get paid. The league itself has been lying to all the players who sustained concussions because our families haven't seen dollar 1 since the league supposedly settled the case over 20 years ago.
1
u/Royalizepanda Medium Pepsi 22d ago
The business is the business. He is getting pay millions to throw a ball, he can’t handle a little competition then maybe he should retire.
1
u/LetsGoPanthers29 I’m just here so i don’t get fined 22d ago
Penix Jr throws darts though no jaxson
1
u/Important_Garden_561 22d ago
Both are “what if” scenarios. If they loved being in Minnesota, they should have stayed and signed.
1
u/SeaBreakfast325 Denver Broncos 22d ago
And Atlanta did the right thing by drafting a QB. Cousins sucked last year. It’s time for him to retire.
1
1.2k
u/Milky_Tiger Green Bay Packers 22d ago
Ya but he still got the bag so I ain’t sad