Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback Kirk Cousins joined former NFL player Will Compton and free agent offensive lineman Taylor Lewan on the Bussin' With the Boys Podcast to discuss everything going on with him in the past year. Cousins discussed everything from pre-game vices to wishlist items, but the big conversation came near the end of the podcast when Compton and Lewan asked him about his reaction to the selection of Michael Penix, Jr. eighth overall in the 2024 NFL draft. As expected, Cousins continues to show that he is the consummate professional as he stated that he's a "steward, not an owner" when discussing his reaction to the pick.
"You're reminded that there are things you can control and there's a lot that you don't control...let's deal in reality and be a steward, not an owner. I just believe that I have to steward what comes my way and control what I can control. A steward doesn't worry about what they can't control...I just have to steward this and do what I've always done as a player and let the chips fall where they may."
If Cousins was in control, as he re-iterated on the podcast, he would retire as a Falcon. He's made that desire abundantly clear since signing his four-year, $180 million contract. But that's not the reality of the situation.
The reality is that the Falcons drafted their quarterback of the future even after guaranteeing Cousins $100 million over the next three years. It's a reality that nobody outside of the Falcons front office could have seen coming. What's even more surprising is that Cousins revealed that this isn't even the first time a team has prioritized their succession plan instead of building around him.
Cousins revealed that during the 2021 NFL draft, then-Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak called Cousins, similarly the Falcons, and let him know that they could possibly be taking a quarterback in the first round. The Vikings took left tackle Christian Darrisaw, but this isn't the first time Cousins has had to deal with not being the priority of a front office's team-building strategy.
Even in college, as Cousins revealed on the podcast, he was the sixth quarterback option for the Michigan State Spartans and even when he did sign, eventual Super Bowl MVP quarterback Nick Foles was a last-minute threat to take his scholarship.
This isn't the first time Cousins has been an afterthought, this isn't the first time Cousins has been the stepping stone to a possibly better solution, but every time he has been, he has continued to be that reliable steward. He has continued to control what he can control and let the chips fall as they may.
So far, the chips have led to an NFL career that most can only dream of, amassing over $280+ million and winning over 75 games with two more years to stack on more. Cousins has continued to be the consummate professional amid some less-than-ideal circumstances, from being the sixth option in high school to coming in as a backup in Washington and never having an organization believe in him for the long-term, not even the potential final stop in Atlanta.
Even with all of these circumstances, Cousins continues to show that calm, measured demeanor that has made him the leader of men that the Falcons will need as they
