National Football League

Falcons bench QB Kirk Cousins for rookie Michael Penix Jr.

Updated Dec. 17, 2024 11:07 p.m. ET

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said last week he didn't want to rush rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., but with Atlanta fighting for a playoff spot, Morris has changed his mind. Penix will take over for struggling starter Kirk Cousins.

"After review we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward," Morris said in the statement. "This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday's game against the New York Giants."

Atlanta is a contender in the weak NFC South despite another shaky performance from Cousins that led the Falcons to become a run-first team.

An ugly 15-9 win at the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night left the Falcons 7-7 and one game behind Tampa Bay in the division.

The Falcons hold the tiebreaker advantage with the Buccaneers, leading Morris to say after the game, "That's where you want to be."

Falcons beat Raiders 15-9, Should Atlanta bench Kirk Cousins? | Breakfast Ball

The win came with Cousins passing for only 112 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He offered a somber review of his outing when he said, "It's not where I want to be."

Cousins entered the game with no touchdown passes and eight interceptions in his previous four games. He ended his touchdown drought with a 30-yard scoring pass to Drake London in the first quarter but couldn't build off that highlight and added his league-leading 16th interception.

The Raiders (2-12) are tied for the league's worst record with the New York Giants, who bring a nine-game losing streak to Atlanta on Sunday. The Falcons then face a difficult game at Washington (9-5) before closing their regular season at home against Carolina (3-11).

Penix has appeared in only two games and did not play against Las Vegas.

Morris said last week that sticking with Cousins "has nothing to do with non-belief" in Penix. "But he is a rookie and we do have a plan and we have had a plan from the beginning on how we want to utilize and be able to play our rookie when it's time."

Morris also said other coaches have "pulled the trigger and put guys out there too early and it's gone terrible, right? And I don't want to be that guy."

Cousins, 36, signed a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason before Penix was selected No. 8 overall in the NFL Draft.

The 24-year-old started his college career in 2018 at Indiana, where he stayed until 2021. Penix then transferred to Washington and put together back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons. In 2023, he threw for an FBS-high 4,903 yards, along with 36 touchdowns, and finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up. He also led the Huskies to the national championship game, where they lost to the Michigan Wolverines.

Morris says the Falcons have never wavered from their belief that Penix is their future starter.

This week, he decided that the future is now.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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