Falcons head coach Raheem Morris held a press conference on Wednesday and the decision to bench quarterback Kirk Cousins in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr. was the topic of conversation.
Among the questions that Morris fielded over the course of his time at the podium was one about whether he anticipates Penix remaining the starter the rest of the way.
“I don’t think anything is ever permanent in the National Football League, but right now Michael Penix is our quarterback,” Morris said. “We’re gonna back him and give him the utmost support that he needs.”
Morris called said it was only a football decision to make the move now, but acknowledged that there are “financial implications” due to Cousins’s contract for the 2025 season. He is guaranteed $27.5 million in salary and Morris said it is too soon to make any decisions about what his future might be in Atlanta.
It’s hard to imagine it’s a bright one with a first-round pick taking over the reins of the offense, but the next chapter of Cousins’s career remains unwritten at the moment.
