Falcons GM confirms the team has told QB Kirk Cousins he'll be released when free agency opens

Quarterback Kirk Cousins wears a baseball cap and holds a phone
Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) walks off the field after an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik, File)

The Atlanta Falcons have informed quarterback Kirk Cousins they plan to release the 14-year veteran when NFL free agency opens next month, new general manager Ian Cunningham said Tuesday.

“What he’s done in his career, we owe that to him just to allow him some clarity going into free agency,” Cunningham said at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Cousins played two seasons with the Falcons with mixed-at-best results, signing a $180 million contract about six weeks before they drafted Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in 2024. Penix won the job in 2025, before a season-ending knee injury made Cousins the starter again down the stretch.