What Happened to Kirk Cousins?

Kirk Daniel Cousins, born August 19, 1988, began his NFL career after being drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He spent his first three seasons as a backup before becoming the starter in 2015, leading the team to a division title and setting several franchise records. After two years on franchise tags, Cousins signed a fully guaranteed three-year, $84 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings in March 2018, a landmark deal at the time.

Cousins spent six seasons with the Vikings, earning three Pro Bowl selections and ranking third in the team's all-time passing yards list. His tenure in Minnesota was largely successful, marked by consistent statistical production. However, his 2023 season was cut short in October when he suffered a season-ending Grade-3 Achilles tear in his right leg during Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers. He concluded the 2023 season with 2,331 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and five interceptions.

In March 2024, Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons, including $100 million guaranteed, to provide stability at the quarterback position. This move was quickly complicated when the Falcons surprisingly drafted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, just a month after signing Cousins. The 2024 season saw Cousins lead the Falcons to a 6-3 start, including a 509-yard performance in Week 5, but a late-season slump with nine interceptions in five games led to him being benched for Penix Jr.

The 2025 season began with Cousins as Penix's backup. However, Penix sustained a season-ending knee injury (torn ACL) in Week 11, thrusting Cousins back into the starting role. Cousins finished the 2025 season starting seven games, leading the Falcons to a four-game win streak to close out the year, and completing 61.7% of his passes for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 10 appearances.

Despite his late-season performance, the Falcons restructured Cousins' contract in January 2026, reducing his 2026 base salary and setting up a likely departure. On March 11, 2026, the Atlanta Falcons officially released Kirk Cousins with a post-June 1 designation, an anticipated move that spread his dead cap hit over two years. Shortly after, in April 2026, Cousins signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. His new deal is effectively a one-year, $20 million agreement for the 2026 season, with the Falcons paying $8.7 million of his guaranteed money and the Raiders paying $1.3 million, plus an additional $10 million roster bonus in March 2027.

As of May 26, 2026, Kirk Cousins is actively participating in the Las Vegas Raiders' Organized Team Activities (OTAs). Despite the Raiders drafting quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Cousins is taking all first-team reps and is widely expected to be the starting quarterback for the Raiders to begin the 2026 season. His experience and familiarity with Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, who was his offensive coordinator in Minnesota, are seen as key factors.