Ex-Vikings QB Kirk Cousins Gets Major Career News Amid Uncertain Falcons Future

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Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins

While it’s widely believed that former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is on his way out of the Atlanta Falcons organization, he has a fan in newly hired head coach Kevin Stefanski, who could value keeping the veteran quarterback around.

Stefanski, who was fired by the Cleveland Browns this month, was previously the Vikings’ offensive coordinator while Cousins was in Minnesota.

Stefanski and Cousins developed a strong rapport together during their time in Minnesota. As offensive coordinator during the 2019 season, Stefanski helped Cousins to his first Pro Bowl with the Vikings. Cousins threw for 3,603 yards, 26 touchdowns, six interceptions and a career-high 107.4 passer rating with Stefanski at the controls.

Stefanski was also behind Cousins’ lone career playoff win, which was a walk-off victory over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC wild-card round.

There are serious financial conversations to consider in retaining Cousins next season. Last season, he was the most expensive backup quarterback in the NFL as Raheem Morris stood by Michael Penix Jr. as his starter. Penix’s rookie deal offers much more roster upside than keeping Cousins on next year’s cap sheet.

However, if Atlanta decides to move on, Cousins recently flashed his broadcasting chops and will surely land on his feet.

Kirk Cousins’ Broadcasting Future Potential Leverage in Free Agency

Replacing new Falcons president of football operations Matt Ryan, Cousins appeared during CBS Sports’ broadcast of the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills game and wowed audiences with his football knowledge and articulate delivery.

Of course, he couldn’t escape the broadcast without giving his co-hosts a “You Like That?”

“Kirk Cousins is going to do TV such a long time and continue his legendary bag getting whenever he retires from the NFL,” one fan wrote, resharing a video of his appearance.

Vikings analyst Judd Zulgad, impressed with Cousins’ broadcasting chops, speculated that Cousins could use the potential exit to a broadcasting career as leverage to drive up his price for prospective teams in free agency.

“I don’t know what type of market this guy is going to have once the Falcons release him, but I’m fairly certain he’s going to use the threat of retiring to be a studio analyst in an attempt to get more money from interested teams,” Zulgad wrote on X.

How Much Has Kirk Cousins Earned in His Career?

During a postgame interview to close the 2025 regular season, Cousins sent a clear message that he expects to test the market, signaling that he would likely be cut.

While that was before the Stefanski hiring, the finances in Atlanta remain unchanged.

Earlier this season, Cousins saw a $10 million roster bonus toll for the 2026 season, setting his career earnings to just over $331 million.

If he is released before the start of the new league year in March, Cousins will have his remaining $25 million in signing bonuses paid out as well. That would put his career earnings at over $350 million between his deals with the Commanders, Vikings and Falcons.

Cousins ranks third all-time in career earnings behind only Matthew Stafford ($408.32 million) and Aaron Rodgers ($394.31 million).

Here’s a full breakdown of Cousins’ yearly earnings in the NFL:

Trevor Squire is a sports journalist covering the NFL and NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks. Trevor studied journalism at the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities, making stops at the Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. You can reach him at trevor.squire@heavy.com and follow him on Twitter @trevordsquire. More about Trevor Squire