Kirk Cousins Hypes Up Underrated Falcons Running Back

The Atlanta Falcons No. 2 running back would arguably be the top player at his position on teams, in the eyes of Cousins

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier remains underrated in the eyes of his teammates | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier operates as the team's running back two, sharing a backfield with arguably the best back in the NFL in Bijan Robinson. As a result, Allgeier’s contributions often fly under the radar. But on Christmas Eve, quarterback Kirk Cousins made a point to give him his flowers. 

“On plenty of teams I’ve been on, he’d [Allgeier] be the number one back.” Cousins told the media on Wednesday. 

Cousins has been around the block, spending 15 years in the league, on three different teams. He’s seen plenty of running backs and knows the talent that Allgeier has.

Allgeier was selected by the Atlanta Falcons out of BYU in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He served as Atlanta’s starting back for most of the 2022 season, amassing 1,035 rushing yards (on nearly 5.0 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. He actually has more seasons with 1,000 rushing yards than Alvin Kamara, an eye-opening statistic that underscores how productive Allgeier can be when not sharing a backfield.

That impact has not gone unnoticed inside the Falcons' building. After Sunday’s win over the Arizona Cardinals, offensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich spoke about what Allgeier brings to the table on offense. 

“He gets forgotten sometimes, but then he has a game like that where he has an impact, finishing runs. He’s so strong at the point of attack. He’s got great vision as a runner,” Robinson said. 

Allgeier had 16 carries for 79 yards (4.9 yards per carry) on the ground in Sunday’s victory. He’s emerged as Atlanta’s closer and primary end zone finisher this season, scoring a career high of eight touchdowns, which is double his previous career high of four in 2023. Allgeier is tied for the 11th most rushing touchdowns in the NFL this season and has scored the most touchdowns of any Falcons’ playmaker this season.

Head coach Raheem Morris referred to Allgeier as Atlanta’s “least-talked-about superstar” a few weeks prior. 

“Wherever you put him, whatever you ask him to do, he's able to go out there and have that resiliency and that toughness that is able to just play the game, play the play, whatever it is, and be able to go,” Morris said.  “So that's why we love him. He's awesome.”

Bijan Robinson has often said that there is no running back one in Atlanta, saying that the backfield is 1A and 1B. And while Robinson’s star power has drawn headlines, Allgeier’s steady production and reliability do not go unseen by the members inside the Falcons’ building. 

He truly is Atlanta’s secret superstar, and as Cousins himself said, Allgeier would be a starter on a multitude of different teams around the league.