Kirk Cousins Weighs Playing and TV With Falcons Future in Doubt

Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins plans to keep his options open both on and off the field as his future in Atlanta remains uncertain.

“I’ll keep an open mind,” Cousins told Front Office Sports on Friday at Radio Row in San Francisco ahead of Super Bowl LX. “I want to play. I feel really rejuvenated. I think it was great to be able to have a great run down the stretch with the Falcons. Even though we didn’t make the playoffs, we were able to win the last four games. [I] really have a joy playing, enjoyed the guys, and so want to get back out there and be able to get back at it again.”

On Saturday, ESPN reported that the Falcons are expected to release Cousins, 37, ahead of the start of the official 2026 league year next month. 

Cousins has made more than $90 million in Atlanta the past two seasons after signing a four-year, $180 million contract in 2024. If he’s still on the roster on March 15, he’s guaranteed another $67.1 million. If the Falcons release him before that, he isn’t owed money, but will still count as a $35 million salary cap hit in 2026.

“We’ll see what opportunities present themselves, and keep an open mind,” Cousins said Friday. “But those conversations will happen in March, and I’ll be interested to see where they lead.”

Off the field, Cousins last month worked with CBS as a guest analyst on its The NFL Today pregame studio show during the divisional and conference championship rounds of the playoffs. He received mostly positive reviews as a sports media pundit and is intrigued by the idea of doing more work full-time, although it’s not something he’s ready to guarantee just yet.

“I want to be around the game when I’m done in some capacity,” Cousins told FOS. “Maybe it’s media, maybe it’s something else. I think it gives you a great chance to still be around the game, be around the league, and [I] enjoyed doing it.”

Cousins, a fourth-round pick by Washington in the 2012 NFL Draft, has made $322.5 million in career contract earnings across three teams. He’ll turn 38 in August.