The Atlanta Falcons are a hot topic this year, and Kirk Cousins is rightfully at the center of it all. As training camp kicks off, the buzz around the Falcons is real, and it’s not just the fans who are excited. Even the reporters are feeling the hype as Cousins will make his comeback to a new team, after his recovery from the Achilles injury.
Advertisement
Even Fox reporter Kelly Price was taken aback by the media frenzy happening at the Falcons’ facility. To provide her viewers with a sneak peek of the Kirk effect, she shared a snapshot of a press room jam-packed just before a press conference. As clearly visible, people were practically lining up to get a glimpse of what was happening in Atlanta.
What Raheem Morris will see in a few minutes when he takes the podium in the #Falcons press conference/media room, which is as close to maximum capacity as you can get. I have never seen this many people covering this team in my five years. Is this the Kirk Cousins effect? pic.twitter.com/hFQpR8Poqx
— Kelly Price (@thekellyprice) July 25, 2024
Well, it sure seems like it. Even with his ongoing recovery, Cousins is ready to make his mark in Atlanta. The Falcons are trying to be diligent with him, giving him modified reps as he eases back into the game.
Cousins was having quite the season with the Minnesota Vikings before that Achilles tear put things on pause. With stats like 2,331 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and a 69.5% completion rate, it’s no wonder everyone’s buzzing about his return.
Is the Kirk Cousins Effect Ready to Take on Atlanta Falcons’ Season?
The Atlanta Falcons certainly know how to keep the NFL world on its toes. During the 2024 NFL draft, they made waves by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick. It was a surprising move as veteran QB Kirk Cousins already made his way to their current roster.
Just a month ago from the draft, the Falcons surprised everyone by signing Cousins with a massive four-year, $180 million deal. While one might think that a contract like this would cement his place as the team’s leading man, Penix entered the scene. Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, mentioned to ESPN’s Pete Thamel that the Falcons didn’t give Cousins a heads-up about drafting Penix until they were on the clock. And there was Cosuins- expecting the team to use their first-round pick to strengthen the lineup for the 2024 season.
Though the plot twist appeared to be straight out of a daily soap, the Falcons spun this situation into an exciting new storyline. In their subsequent statement, the team’s head coach Raheem Morris drew parallels to the “Green Bay model” with Jordan Love sitting behind Aaron Rodgers.
“It’s been proven to be right last year, so hopefully we’ll be right with them,” pointing to how the Packers successfully transitioned quarterbacks.
Atlanta’s 2023 season wasn’t exactly sweet, which certainly left them hungry for a change. And what better way to use a tried and tested model? With Cousins now gearing up for the season, despite the unexpected draft day twist, the Falcons have set themselves up for a fascinating storyline.
The combination of Cousins’ proven experience and Penix’s potential has fans wondering just what the Falcons have in store for the upcoming seasons.
