Kirk Cousins hasn’t played since Oct. 29, tearing his Achilles on his 61st snap against the Packers. The quarterback now plays for a new team, and at 36 and with a first-round rookie backing him up, doesn’t know how much longer he will play.
Cousins will make his debut with the Falcons on Sunday against the Steelers.
He is eager for the first live hit, free of a red non-contact practice jersey.
“In a sick way, you do [want] to get popped,” Cousins said, via Terrin Waack of the team website. “I’ll probably tell the first guy that hits me, ‘Thank you,’ within reason. It’s good to get that taste of blood in your mouth a little bit.”
Cousins was not on the Falcons’ first injury report of the season, with Atlanta listing inside linebacker Nate Landman (quad) and tight end Kyle Pitts (hamstring) as limited participants Wednesday.
Falcons coach Raheem Morris expects Pitts to play.
"[He] went out there and practiced the other day for us and did a really good job,” Morris said. “He had a hamstring a couple weeks ago or whatever it was. It really hasn’t affected him too much. He’s been out there practicing, doing just about everything, and we’re ready to go.”