“I introduced Kirk in right here with full expectation that we may win a championship with Kirk and we would be able to compete with Kirk,” Morris defined on Wednesday. “For no matter motive, no matter occurred the final couple of weeks, it simply hasn’t felt that means. It was time to make a change.
“Any time you’re taking a step down or a demotion at work, it isn’t going to be met with nice appreciation and all these issues. But Kirk was an expert, he is a professional, he is a person, he is an excellent human, he is an excellent father, he is an excellent soccer participant, he is executed plenty of nice issues for us this 12 months. He dealt with it with class. He’s an absolute skilled. … But clearly it comes with some disappointment while you lose your job.”
To his credit score, Cousins drew appreciation from Morris, who admitted “we have to play higher on the place … and that is why we made the choice to try this final evening.”
Cousins even known as Penix to speak in regards to the change Tuesday evening, telling reporters, “I wish to shoot elephants within the room.”
There’s no telling precisely what this implies for Cousins’ future in Atlanta. Various completely different roster eventualities may see the Falcons half with him, incurring a variety of cap penalties over the quick and/or long run. They may additionally hold him as a high-priced backup whereas Penix — who was thought of by many to be probably the most pro-ready quarterback of the 2024 draft class — mans the beginning job, although such a choice appears unlikely.
Atlanta will try and kind that out later whereas utilizing the proof it is about to start out gathering within the Falcons’ ultimate three video games of the 2024 common season. Should Penix succeed, Atlanta may find yourself within the playoffs and have its reply for the longer term. That actually is not assured at this juncture, although.
What issues most is the speedy outcomes. After a season spent watching Cousins from the sideline, Morris believes Penix will produce.
“We had been looking out,” Morris mentioned when requested why he made the change now. “We had been digging as a lot as we will dig as a way to make issues work and attempt to get issues going. Just final evening got here to the purpose, simply needed to make the choice to make the transfer. We needed to play slightly higher at quarterback, and we felt like we obtained an opportunity to play slightly bit higher. If we will go on the market and play higher at quarterback, who is aware of what may occur, you understand?
“I do not suppose something is ever everlasting within the National Football League, however proper now Michael Penix is our quarterback, and we’re gonna again him and provides him the utmost help he wants as we did Kirk when he was our starter.”
If Penix makes good on his coach’s confidence in him, it is going to kick off an period most did not see coming for a minimum of a 12 months or two. It will even give those that supported the number of Penix a large win over the scores of parents who chastised the Falcons for taking the Washington product lower than two months after handing Cousins a $180 million contract.
Cousins, in the meantime, might be left to select up the items — and the {dollars} paid to him by the Falcons — whereas discovering a brand new place to play soccer. As he mentioned Wednesday, sure, he did not play properly sufficient to maintain his job. That does not imply his profession is completed, although.
“I did not overlook the right way to play quarterback,” Cousins mentioned. “Certainly, the turnovers weren’t what you need, however I did not overlook the right way to play.”
