Kirk Cousins career timeline: How many teams Falcons QB has played for and NFL earnings

Kirk Cousins wants to prove he still has something left in the tank.

The Falcons' 36-year-old quarterback hasn't quite hit his stride in Atlanta. But he looked closer to his best in a Week 2 rally against the Eagles. Cousins overcame a slow start to lead Atlanta on a fervent comeback, capping things off with a seven-yard dart to Drake London to seal a win in the City of Brotherly Love.

Not only did the score propel the Falcons to a much-needed victory — in the past three seasons, just two of 21 teams that lost their first two games went on to make the playoffs — it also offered a window into the Cousins of old, unfettered by the Achilles tear he suffered less than a year ago.

Cousins has long been one of the NFL's most reliable passers. It hasn't always been pretty — he's yet to advance beyond the second round of the postseason during his 13-year career. Still, Cousins' experience, coupled with his stellar performances across a range of different setups, could bode well for an Atlanta roster teeming with youthful talent.

Past performance could be useful in examining Cousins' future prospects. And if Cousins' past is anything to judge him by, Atlanta could have a useful player on its hands. Here's a look at the highlights and lowlights of Cousins' 13-year odyssey in the NFL.

MORE: Week 3 Power Rankings | Week 3 NFL picks

Where did Kirk Cousins go to college?

Cousins attended Michigan State. He was a three-year starter for the Spartans, leading out Mark Dantonio's troops from 2007-2011.

Cousins was a cool customer in the pocket, showcasing a decent arm and above-average accuracy during his time in East Lansing. He didn't garner all that many honors — he was named to the All-Big Ten second team as a redshirt senior in 2011.

Still, Cousins proved his worth as a steady arm for the Spartans' offense. Under Cousins, Michigan State routinely averaged upwards of 30 points a game. And although he didn't quite establish himself as a marquee name during his time in school, the Spartans certainly did, earning a share of the Big Ten regular season title in 2010 and playing in their first-ever Big Ten title game in 2011.

MSU went 4-0 against hated rivals Michigan during Cousins' career. He also did this:

#CFB returns in 8 days

Kirk Cousins - Michigan State pic.twitter.com/pqpW1SzhXc

— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) August 16, 2024

Cousins finished his Michigan State career with a 28-13 record, throwing for 9,131 yards and 66 touchdowns compared to 30 interceptions. He finished his career as the program's all-time leading passer. He now ranks No. 2 in most major passing categories, supplanted by his replacement, Connor Cook.

Below is a closer look at how Cousins performed during each of his four years in East Lansing.

Kirk Cousins' college stats

*Cousins redshirted during the 2007 season.

Kirk Cousins draft class

Following his standout senior campaign in 2011, Cousins declared for the NFL Draft.

Walter Football's Charlie Campbell graded Cousins as a third-round talent in the draft for teams. Why?

"Cousins has an enough of an arm to be a starting NFL quarterback," Campbell wrote. "He is a good game-manager who could be a good quarterback to install in a play-action-based passing attack with a strong running game. When given time to throw Cousins is very effective. He struggles and makes bad decisions when he gets defensive linemen in his face."

Campbell's analysis offers insight into how scouts viewed the Barrington, Ill., native. Despite entering into his senior year as a potential second-round prospect, Cousins would have to wait a little longer to hear his name called in the 2012 draft.

Here's a look at the QBs taken before Cousins in the 2012 NFL Draft. Cousins went to Washington with the seventh pick of the fourth round — the 102nd pick overall.

2012 NFL Draft QBs

POWER RANKINGS: Where Bengals rank among NFL's best entering Week 15 

How many teams has Kirk Cousins played for?

Cousins has played for three franchises during his NFL career:

• Washington Commanders
• Minnesota Vikings
• Atlanta Falcons

Washington made Cousins its fourth-round selection back in 2012. He proceeded to become a starter for the franchise before inking a three-year, $84 million deal with the Vikings in 2018. Cousins then spent six years in Minneapolis before agreeing terms to a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons in the offseason.

How many teams has Kirk Cousins played for?

Commanders (2012-17)

Cousins started his career in Washington after being selected 102nd overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. The Commanders had made Robert Griffin III the face of the franchise after taking his second in the same draft. Cousins, meanwhile, settled into a backup role, watching on as Griffin claimed Rookie of the Year honors.

Cousins received spot minutes here and there, filling in for Griffin as injuries began to eat away at his world-class athleticism. As Griffin's health concerns became more pronounced, Cousins began to establish himself as a legitimate No. 1. He started one game in 2012, three games in 2013 and five games in 2014.

In 2015, then-head coach Jay Gruden made Cousins the team's full-time starter at QB. He competed 69.8% of his pass attempts, accumulating 4,166 yards and 29 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions. Cousins earned Pro Bowl honors for his performance in 2015, the first of four he would rack up over the course of his career.

Cousins played two more seasons for Washington before setting sights elsewhere in free agency. Across six years with the Commanders, Cousins tallied 16,206 yards, 99 touchdowns and 55 interceptions while completing 65.5 percent of his passes. The Michigan State alum sits fourth all-time in yards logged among Commanders players, only trailing former MVP Joe Theismann and Hall of Famers Sonny Jurgensen and Sammy Baugh.

Vikings (2018-2023)

During the 2018 offseason, Cousins took his talents to the Great Lakes, inking a three-year, $84 million deal with the Vikings.

Cousins proceeded to become one of the franchise's greatest-ever quarterbacking talents. Despite hardship — not least of which included a torn Achilles tendon — he collected 23,265 yards and 171 touchdowns while throwing 55 interceptions on 67.9 percent passing. Cousins was named to three Pro Bowl teams with the Vikes and led them to two postseason appearances.

The then-35-year old appeared on the brink of a potential MVP-caliber campaign in 2023 until he ruptured his Achilles in Week 8 vs. the Packers. He would end his tenure in Minnesota on the sidelines.

Nonetheless, Cousins still ranks highly among Vikings quarterbacks past and present. He's the franchise's third-leading passer by yards and second-most prolific in terms of touchdowns. He's also got the highest QBR of any hurler who attempted more than 60 passes (101.1).

Cousins quietly reached all-time status among Minnesota signal-callers. Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson were among the biggest beneficiaries of his displays — all four impressed under Cousins' stewardship.

Falcons (2024-present)

Cousins added to his coffers in the offseason, agreeing to a four-year, $180 million contract with Atlanta. The deal will see Cousins earn $100 million in guaranteed money, further cementing his place as one of football's wealthiest-ever players.

Cousins' arrival should've brought fanfare with it, especially to a city as starved of winning football as Atlanta has been in the post-Matt Ryan era. That didn't quite happen, though; Cousins came into the offseason still recuperating from the Achilles tear he suffered last year.

The Falcons added to the uncertainty during draft day, stunningly taking Michael Penix Jr., a quarterback, with the eighth overall pick. Atlanta reportedly didn't notify Cousins nor his agent until the team was on the clock.

Opening game struggles left the Falcons' fanbase in despair. Then, Cousins showed out, delivering a last-minute game-winning touchdown drive to lead Atlanta to what seemed a certain defeat against the Eagles.

Kirk Cousins NFL career earnings

Cousins is one of the highest-earning players in NFL history.

Prior to his deal this past offseason, there was a significant gap between the 35-year-old and the top of the list. That's no longer the case.

Cousins made $231.6 million from NFL contracts through 2023, the fourth-highest mark in NFL history. The only players with more career earnings to that point were Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, and Russell Wilson.

With his Falcons deal guaranteeing $100 million, Cousins now sits second on that list, just behind Rodgers. Of the top four players on the list, Cousins is the only one without a Super Bowl ring.

Here's a look at the all-time NFL career earnings leaders entering 2024.

While Cousins' new contract pushes him above Stafford and Wilson, both players are still active and could earn more money. The same is true of Rodgers, who still retains the top spot on the list.

As the salary cap continues to rise, it won't be long until some of the NFL's younger star quarterbacks move toward the top, as well. For now, though, Cousins has done about as well as anyone at maximizing his value.