Quarterback Kirk Cousins will be suiting up for the Atlanta Falcons this season, and the acquisition of his services wasn't cheap. Cousins and the Falcons agreed to a four-year, $180 million contract, which includes a $50 million signing bonus, according to NFL Media.
Cousins is 35 years old and coming off a season-ending Achilles injury he suffered in October. While Cousins has had some solid moments throughout his career, his age paired with his recent injury might have made some question the deal.
One person who is skeptical is former NFL quarterback Cam Newton, who suggests that Cousins isn't worth the $180 million contract he just picked up.
"It is extremely alarming that he only had one playoff win in 12 years. ... he's coming off of an injury," Newton said on the 4th&1 podcast. "It's definitely alarming to see."
So far in his career, Cousins has a 66.9 completion percentage, with 39,471 yards, 270 touchdowns, and 110 interceptions, along with 19 rushing touchdowns. He has a 76-67-2 record in the regular season, though just 1-3 in the postseason.
Newton, who never got a deal as big as Cousins -- especially not late in his career -- may be a little bitter about the situation. The 34-year-old believes one of the reasons Cousins appeals to teams is because he does not make a lot of noise off the field. He said the four-time Pro Bowler has "benefited from a lot of things going right" and "gets a pass on a lot of stuff ... because he's not a big personality."
"We don't see Kirk Cousins outside of football ... It's real quiet," Newton said, adding that Cousins is a "safe" pick.
"I think the Atlanta Falcons were trying to go for a Matt Ryan," Newton explained, saying he feels Cousins fits that bill.
When comparing Cousins to another quarterback who could have been an option for Atlanta -- Chicago Bears' Justin Fields -- Newton says it is not about who has the highest ceiling or skill set, it's about what they have already done. While Cousins has yet to make a deep playoff run, he has certainly done more than Fields.
He also alluded to a different option the Falcons didn't consider. "I can't make it about me, but if I were to make it about me ... I'm in Atlanta," Newton added.
Newton noted he is not upset seeing what other players get, despite being out of the NFL at a younger age than many, including Cousins.
"Do I get mad, or frustrated that I see this statistic that he's made $329 million in fully guaranteed money. F--- no. Go get that money," Newton said.
He went on to explain that no one player is responsible for team losses, which is why Cousins should not be blamed for them all.
Newton played in the NFL from 2011 to 2021, going 75-68-1 with a 59.9 completion percentage, 32,382 yards, 194 touchdowns in the air, 123 interceptions, 1,118 rushing attempts (an NFL record), 5,628 rushing yards and 75 rushing yards (an NFL record). He went 3-4 in the playoffs, including a Super Bowl appearance and loss.
His resume includes an NFL MVP, NFL Offensive Player of the Year, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, first-team All Pro and three Pro Bowls.
