Kirk Cousins has been with the Atlanta Falcons for two seasons.
After getting off to a strong start to his tenure with the franchise, Cousins lost his starting job at the end of his first season to Michael Penix Jr.
Cousins is coming off a year where he appeared in just ten games.
Atlanta Falcons Make Kirk Cousins Decision
On Tuesday, the Falcons made a decision regarding the future of Cousins.
The NFL wrote: "GM Ian Cunningham says Falcons plan to release QB Kirk Cousins on first day of new league year."
Cousins has appeared in 174 total games for the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Commanders (and Falcons).
He has made four trips the Pro Bowl.
Here's what people were saying about the news:
StatMuse: "Kirk Cousins over the past two seasons: 24 games 24 turnovers 12-12."
@MySportsUpdate: "Falcons GM Ian Cunningham confirmed on @929TheGame that Kirk Cousins will be released in March on the first day of the new league year, making him a free agent. Cousins earned $100M during his two seasons with Atlanta."
@brgridiron: "Kirk Cousins has made a LOT of money in his career 😳"
Spotrac: "The Atlanta #Falcons will designate Kirk Cousins a Post 6/1 release on March 11th. They'll carry his $24.6M cap figure into June, then take on dead hits of $22.5M in 2026; $12.5M in 2027. $10M of that is a guaranteed roster bonus with offset language attached to it. Cousins will be free to sign elsewhere once the designation is made on 3/11."
Get Up: ". @JasonMcCourty believes there's a chance Kirk Cousins returns to Atlanta after they release him. What team is the best fit for Kirk Cousins? 👀"
Cousins was the 140th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Michigan State.
As a starter, he has gone 88-77-2.
The 37-year-old has thrown for nearly 45,000 yards and 298 touchdowns.
As for the Falcons, they are coming off a year where they finished with an 8-9 record.
They ended the year on a four-game winning streak (and were a game back of winning the NFC South).
That said, the franchise has been unable to make the NFL playoffs in each of the previous eight seasons.
Cousins will be among the most intriguing free agents to watch for on the market.
At worst, he could be a valuable veteran to add to a young quarterback room.
There is also the chance that he gets another starting job at some point before the end of his career.