The Atlanta Falcons made a surprising pick in the NFL draft on Thursday by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. This decision came as a shock, especially considering the fact that they had just signed veteran Kirk Cousins to a lucrative four-year $180 million contract.
The unexpected news of being selected as the No. 8 draft pick in the first round sent shockwaves through social media and took Cousins by surprise.
“It was a huge surprise. We had no clue that this was going to happen,” expressed Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, in a text sent to the NFL Network. “In fact, the entire league was caught off guard. We received no prior notice. Kirk received a call from the Falcons while they were making their selection. That was when we first found out about it. It had never been discussed before.”
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Just moments before the pick, McCartney shared a post on X, expressing a sense of anticipation and warning that a surprise was about to unfold.
Cousins, who is 35 years old, has chosen to remain silent on the Falcons’ decision to select Penix.
The shocking news on social media garnered swift reactions.
During the press conference that followed the draft, head coach Raheem Morris emphasized the significance of securing our future quarterback at this point in time, considering our lower draft position.
“Fortunately, we have Kirk Cousins on our team. He’s a talented quarterback who can go out there and win football games for us. With his abilities, we should be able to secure high draft picks.”
The decision to select Penix as the team’s pick was driven by a forward-thinking approach, according to General Manager Terry Fontenot. Being a rookie from the University of Washington, Penix, at the age of 23, brings a fresh perspective to the team.
“These decisions are not easy. They are tough decisions,” he stated. “Our goal is to create a team that consistently wins and achieves long-term success. We are extremely excited about Kirk, and that enthusiasm has not wavered.”
In May, the Falcons made a significant move by signing Cousins to a lucrative 4-year contract worth $180 million, with an impressive $100 million guaranteed. Cousins, a seasoned quarterback, originally entered the league in 2012 as a draft pick for the Washington team. After spending six successful seasons with them, he made a transition to the Minnesota Vikings in 2018.
High-profile, veteran quarterbacks have often found themselves in uncomfortable situations where they have to share the sideline with another signal caller who appears to be their inevitable replacement.
After three seasons as a backup to Brett Favre in Green Bay, the Packers made the decision to start Aaron Rodgers, a first-round pick from California.
Steve Young and Joe Montana were teammates on the San Francisco 49ers from 1987 to 1992, until Montana was traded to Kansas City.
Joe Flacco guided the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl championship in 2013. However, the future seemed inevitable when the Ravens selected Lamar Jackson in the first round of the 2018 draft. During his rookie season, Jackson stepped in for an injured Flacco and went on to win the prestigious league MVP award in 2019.
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