3-Time Super Bowl Winner Blasts Falcons QB Kirk Cousins: 'It's Over'

The Atlanta Falcons signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a 4-year contract this past offseason. But FOX Sports analyst and 3-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth suggested the Falcons shouldn't even allow Cousins to finish his first season as the team's starting quarterback.

Schlereth declared on FOX Sports' Breakfast Ball on Tuesday that the Cousins era in Atlanta is finished.

“It’s over. It’s over. It is time to move on. Listen, he’s not playing well," Schlereth said. "Whether it’s injury whatever the case may be, he’s not playing well.

"If you look at the way that offense is built, they’ve got a big-time offensive line. That group in front of him is a really good group. They have two legit running backs that can really play in Robinson and Allegier. They’ve got a tight end, they’ve got receivers.

"There is no excuse to have a five game stretch where you throw one TD and nine interceptions. You drafted Penix in the first round. He’s got more mobility. He’s got a liver arm. You are behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers right now for that division crown. I think it’s over for Atlanta.”

.@markschlereth says the Kirk Cousins era in Atlanta should be "OVER" 😳

"There's no excuse to have a 5-game stretch where you've thrown 1 TD and 9 interceptions." pic.twitter.com/gBPsEqxkwp
— Breakfast Ball (@BrkfstBallOnFS1) December 17, 2024

Cousins posted a 144.8 passer rating while throwing for 3 touchdowns and averaging 9.25 yards per attempt on Nov. 3 versus the Dallas Cowboys. But since then, in addition to his 1 touchdown versus 9 interceptions, Cousins has averaged 7.5 yards per pass and completed only 62.7% of his passes in five games. He's also taken 11 sacks and fumbled 5 times.

The Falcons have only won once since Cousins went cold. That victory came Monday against the 2-12 Las Vegas Raiders.

If that wasn't unimpressive enough, the Falcons had to hold on in that game, winning 15-9. Cousins completed 11 of 17 passes for 112 yards with a touchdown and interception in the win.

The Falcons hold the tiebreaker versus the Buccaneers, so they only need to make up one game in the standings over the final three weeks to host a playoff contest. But the way Cousins is playing, there's little confidence in the fan base that the Falcons can win the rest of their games.

Atlanta will end the season against the New York Giants, Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers.

The Falcons signed Cousins to a 4-year deal in March. But it was essentially a 2-year contract because of the way the guaranteed money and dead cap hits were structured.

Atlanta will have a $65 million dead cap hit if it releases Cousins before the 2025 season. That's becoming more likely to happen, though, with each passing week.

If the Falcons fall out of the playoff race by Week 17, they could bench Cousins to begin the Michael Penix era. Or, they could continue to start Cousins in the hopes that he raises his value for an offseason trade rather than a release.

In either scenario, Schlereth is correct -- the Cousins era in Atlanta is finished.