It’s official: The Atlanta Falcons have paid out a $10 million bonus for Kirk Cousins in 2026, killing the last swirls of the narrative that the team would be forced to cut him. While it has been reported that Kirk Cousins met with Arthur Blank about his future and wants to start somewhere, he’s going to need to wait until a trade materializes for that to happen.
NFL insider Mike Garafolo makes it clear the Falcons, despite the public beating they’ve taken over the Cousins contract and the decision to hold on to him instead of cutting him outright, were never interested in just setting him loose and eating all that money.