Falcons Make Decision on Michael Penix, Kirk Cousins Playing Preaseason
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Preseason football is a time when coaching staffs can evaluate their current rosters, deciding which players will be cut and which will be added to the final 53-man roster. It's also a chance to see where current veterans are at, and if they are working together to master the playbook.
More news: Aaron Donald Has Officially Returned to Rams Training Camp
The Atlanta Falcons are one such team, but they have a unique situation. Currently, the team has Michael Penix as the starter, Kirk Cousins as the backup, and Easton Stick and Emory Jones beyond that.
It is widely believed that Cousins will remain the backup, and the Falcons have no interest in moving him. So, it would also be believed that Cousins might not get a big chance to prove to other teams to make wild offers for his services.
That second statement is speculation, but Cousins will not get his chance to shine in Week 1 of preseason.
Expect a lot of these around the league: #Falcons coach Raheem Morris tells reporters that QB Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins won't play this Friday for the #Falcons in their first preseason game. — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 4, 2025
Per multiple reports, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris is not going to play either Penix or Cousins when Friday's preseason game rolls around.
It is not at all shocking that the starter will not be out during the first week of preseason, but it is a bit strange that Cousins is not going to get a chance to play at all. He is the backup after all.
Kirk Cousins looks to pass as quarterback Michael Penix Jr. looks on during OTAs. Penix could be replacing Cousins before you know it.
Kirk Cousins looks to pass as quarterback Michael Penix Jr. looks on during OTAs. Penix could be replacing Cousins before you know it.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
More news: Travis Kelce and His Mom Steal the Show at Chiefs Camp
It could be that the Falcons are protecting Cousins in a way to prevent him from suffering a costly injury, or it is simply not time for him to line up behind center. There are three preseason games in which to offer Cousins some quality starting time.
Former Los Angeles Chargers and veteran quarterback Stick will get the start instead.
The entire Cousins situation has been odd. Once he landed in Atlanta, he was given a monster four-year, $180 million contract, and there was reports that the Falcons tampered with the situation.
To add to that drama, Cousins was benched in favor of Penix ahead of Week 16 of the regular season, ending his time as the leader of the Falcons.
Cousins spoke to the Falcons' ownership about being traded, but they are hard-pressed to do that considering his sizable contract and dead cap money if they moved him. Either way, fans will have to wait until Week 2 or 3 to see Cousins sling the ball.
Even when he does take the field, the chances of him being moved after a stellar performance still remain slim.
For more on the Falcons and NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Falcons Recap: Rookie gets in practice brawl, Raheem Morris goes viral
In our latest recap, Kaleb McGary gets an extension, James Pearce Jr. gets in a practice brawl, and Raheem Morris' fall goes viral. The Atlanta Falcons held their sixth open practice on Monday morning, and fans got to see the team's full slate of rookies. First-round pick Jalon Walker and third-rounder Xavier Watts returned after being restricted to individual drills over the last few days. In today's Falcons news recap, Michael Penix Jr. is compared to Super Bowl quarterback Matthew Stafford, right tackle Kaleb McGary gets a contract extension, and rookie James Pearce Jr. gets in another practice brawl. Rookie James Pearce Jr. in another practice scuffle Pearce has done a good job of getting under the skin of Atlanta's offensive line throughout training camp. The rookie was involved in two practice skirmishes last week. On Monday, Pearce was in the middle of another practice scuffle. Head coach Raheem Morris took the rookie out for the next rep to cool down. "James Pearce Jr in the middle of it," wrote 11Alive News reporter Maria Martin. "Raheem Morris got in his face after. Tyrone Wheatley and JPJ chirping at each other for a while after. [It] looked like JPJ grabbed a face mask at some point. He was taken out of the next rep." Falcons OC thinks Penix has Stafford-like traits Penix has one of the strongest arms in the league, and it was on display during a rainy Monday practice. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson told NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe that Penix reminds him of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. "I talked to their offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson," said Wolfe. "Robinson was with Matt Stafford with the Rams. He said '[Penix] processes like Matthew Stafford.'" Kaleb McGary signs two-year extension After losing Drew Dalman in free agency, the Falcons weren't about to let right tackle Kaleb McGary get away so easily. The team signed the former first-round pick to a two-year, $30 million extension on Monday afternoon. McGary has been durable for Atlanta, starting 92 games over the last six seasons. The extension is also good news for left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr. since his blind-side protector is locked up through 2027. Raheem Morris' fall vs. Drake London goes viral Morris knows how to fire up his team, but he may regret his latest tactic. During Monday's practice, the second-year Falcons head coach took a rep against wide receiver Drake London and it went south fast. Morris attempted to press London at the line of scrimmage but was quickly disposed of by the former first-round pick. Watch the viral clip below. Falcons camp highlights: Best of Monday's practice
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Bet365 Bonus Code WEEK365: Claim $150 Bonus For Any MLB Game
Create a new account with the bet365 bonus code WEEK365 to get $150 in bonus bets or a $1,000 first bet offer for any MLB game. Create a new account with the bet365 bonus code WEEK365 to get $150 in bonus bets or a $1,000 first bet offer for any MLB game. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Sign up for a new sportsbook account with the bet365 bonus code WEEK365 to choose between two welcome offers for a loaded MLB Monday. Bet on games like Yankees-Rangers or Reds-Cubs to activate your preferred reward. Click here or on any of the other links on this page to get started. When you sign up, you will get to choose between a $150 bonus bet offer and a $1,000 first bet safety net. You can bet on any of the 13 MLB games taking place tonight to activate your desired offer. The Yankees-Rangers series has big consequences for the American League standings. After being swept by the Marlins over the weekend, the Yankees will look to rebound against a surging Rangers team that is creeping up on them in the wild card standings. The Reds-Cubs series is important for both clubs. The Cubs are looking to keep pace with the Brewers for first place in the National League Central, while the Reds are looking to make a push for one of the final wild card spots. How To Activate bet365 Bonus Code WEEK365 For MLB Monday All you have to do with the $150 bonus offer is bet $5 on any market. The outcome of this bet does not matter, and you will receive the bonus bets before your initial wager even settles. As an example, you could bet $5 on the Cubs to win and instantly unlock your $150 in bonus bets to use on any market across bet365. Any market will work for this initial bet, so if something like a prop or parlay appeals to you, a $5 bet on that market will activate your bonuses. If you prefer the more aggressive $1,000 first bet offer, you will be able to wager up to that amount and get your stake refunded if your bet loses. Something like an $800 Cubs moneyline wager will give you the chance to collect a large payout if your bet wins. A losing bet will trigger an $800 bonus refund to your account that you can use later on within the bet365 app. MLB Boost Specials For Monday New users will be able to take advantage of the daily bet boost specials within the bet365 app. All you have to do is navigate to a specific sport or individual game to view the popular options. A few markets for Monday's MLB games are listed below: Mets, Yankees and Dodgers all win (+310 boosted to +369) Yainer Diaz, Gunnar Henderson, Francisco Lindor, Jarren Duran, Ozzie Albies, Elly De La Cruz, Ben Rice EACH record 1+ hits (+1789 boosted to +2363) Agustin Ramirez and Kyle Schwarber EACH 1+ home runs (+1618 boosted to +1912) Secure bet365 Bonus Code WEEK365 Offer Click here or on any of the other links on this page to get started with the sign-up process. Enter the bonus code WEEK365 along with basic personal information to secure your account. From there, make an initial deposit with a secure payment method, like a credit card. This will cover your initial wager to activate your desired welcome reward with bet365. Any bonus bets you receive with either promo will be valid for one week before they expire from your account. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
F1 Summer Shutdown: Why Teams Can't Touch Their Cars
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Following the Hungarian Grand Prix, Formula One heads into the summer break for the next three weeks, until August 29, marking the first long break for drivers and teams since the Christmas break after the 2024 season. However, for two weeks out of the three, none of the teams can work on their cars. Given the hectic 24-race calendar that sees drivers and teams operating at their limit, F1's governing body, the FIA, has set a two-week summer shutdown period for all teams where they are not permitted to develop their car, design car parts, use the wind tunnel, or conduct meetings. F1 teams are free to choose any 14-day window in the entire summer break, but they must confirm the start and end dates to the FIA. The mandate has been put in place by the governing body to allow team members of all ranks to take time off. As a result, teams found violating the rule are liable to receive a penalty. However, teams are allowed to support other projects that are not connected to F1. In addition, they are also allowed to work on heavily damaged cars that were damaged in the race before the shutdown, but only after written permission has been obtained from the FIA. Formula One drivers line up on the pit lane before the start of the first practice session of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Spa, on July 25, 2025. Formula One drivers line up on the pit lane before the start of the first practice session of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Spa, on July 25, 2025. Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP/Getty Images It must be noted that apart from drivers, team principals, mechanics, and engineers, other departments such as marketing, finance, legal, and housekeeping are allowed to function normally. F1 heads into a much-needed break after 14 rounds, with the eventful Hungarian Grand Prix confirming that the final championship battle will more than likely be between McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. While the latter leads the Drivers' Standings with 284 points, Norris is placed second with a gap of just 9 points. Norris maintained a strong lead in the second half of the race at the Hungaroring after Piastri and Charles Leclerc pitted. McLaren's flawless one-stop strategy worked in his favor, despite Piastri's aggressive charge in the last four laps on fresher tires. Speaking after securing his fifth victory of the season, Norris said: "I'm dead. I'm dead. It was tough. We weren't really planning on the one-stop, but after the first lap, it was kind of our only option to get back into things. "The final stint with Oscar catching, I was pushing flat out. Rewarding even more because of that. The perfect result today. "I didn't think it would get us the win, I thought it would get us maybe into second. I knew if I had clean air and could push, I could maybe make things work, and that's what we did. "It always is a bit of a gamble these kind of things. It also requires no mistakes, good laps, good strategy, and that's what we had today." He added: "We're so tightly fought it's hard to say if momentum is on anyone's side. "It's tough but fun racing against Oscar. Credit to Oscar he put up a good charge and I just about held on."
