The Atlanta Falcons enter 2026 with a new coach, general manager and president of football. What that broad-sweeping change in leadership means for quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is unclear, especially as he recovers from season-ending ACL surgery. Matt Ryan, who arrived this offseason as president of football, would not commit to Penix as the Falcons’ starter when healthy and instead indicated that the decision ultimately falls upon coach Kevin Stefanski.
Penix started nine games in 2025 before he sustained his knee injury, and Kirk Cousins handled the signal-calling duties for the remainder of the season in his absence.
“Neither of us are the head coach of the football team, so we can’t answer your question on that,” Ryan said Tuesday while introducing general manager Ian Cunningham. “But I think all of us are going to get together. Ian’s been a part of it for, I guess, three days, and has had a lot on his plate during that time. I think as we start to get into this process and dive deeper into the roster, how it currently stands, where it’s going in the future, I think those are conversations that’ll be a part of it.”
Atlanta’s quarterback situation has been murky for the last two years. The Falcons selected Penix in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft not long after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract. Cousins started 14 games in 2024, ceded the job to Penix through November 2025 and jumped back into the lineup after the latter’s injury.
That back-and-forth, coupled with the fact that Atlanta went 5-3 under Cousins last season compared to 3-6 under Penix, raises questions about which quarterback the Falcons’ new brass prefers.
“Quarterback is obviously very important, and we’re excited about Mike and what he’s doing with his rehab,” Ryan said. “I’ve been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael’s been in there attacking that, and he’s in a good space right now. So we’re excited about where he’s at, but certainly a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster.”
The first indication of, or perhaps an outright decision on, what the Falcons want to do at quarterback should come by March 13. Cousins agreed to a restructured contract which reduces his salary from $35 million to $2.1 million for the 2026 season but that carries a vesting guarantee for 2027. A guaranteed $67.9 million salary for 2027 will vest on March 13, setting the stage for the Falcons to make a decision on Cousins’ future before that date.
If the Falcons release Cousins prior to March 13, the dead money on his contract would be split over 2026 and 2027. The 2026 salary reduction also significantly dropped Cousins’ cap hit for the coming year. But because neither the Falcons nor a potential trade suitor would likely want to face a $67.9 million burden in 2027, Cousins’ most logical paths forward would be a release or the signing of another amended contract.
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