Kirk Cousins Finally Admits His Achilles Isn’t 100%

By Ted Schwerzler |

Updated: Sep 17, 2024

The Minnesota Vikings were always going to be on the fence as to whether or not they would pay Kirk Cousins again. They were never going to pay him what the Atlanta Falcons did. They also probably weren’t going to pay him without scrutinizing the health of his ankle. Turns out the Falcons got damaged goods.

Achilles still an issue for Kirk Cousins

Kevin O’Connell had to coach the Minnesota Vikings through a multitude of key injuries last year. Chief among them was losing starting quarterback Kirk Cousins. His achilles tear during a game with the Green Bay Packers sent Minnesota scrambling.

At 36 years old Cousins was always going to see an eventual decline. Coming back from a significant surgery complicates that. It appears he’s not himself yet as well.

Looks like Kirk Cousins finally admitted the truth that his Achilles isn’t 100% to @TroyAikman. @Vikings once again made the right call 👏

“In talking with Cousins, he says that he’s not 100 percent, but he is 100 percent in the pocket. He wants to get out of the pocket some,… pic.twitter.com/BkR0BbSEpM
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) September 17, 2024

It’s not at all surprising that Cousins isn’t 100%. It’s scientific fact that the body will take longer to rebound as it grows older. The problem is that Cousins also doesn’t have time to wait for his ankle to heal either.

The Falcons drafted his replacement at the first opportunity they could. Should Cousins sit for a couple of weeks to provide additional healing, Michael Penix Jr. may take the job for good. The Atlanta Falcons put themselves in a tough spot when they paid Cousins a boatload.

Can Falcons survive with this version of Kirk Cousins?

In Week 1 Cousins completed just over 61% of his passes against a mediocre Pittsburgh Steelers team. It wasn’t the home debut Atlanta or the new cornerback wanted. Cousins was outplayed by Chicago Bears castoff Justin Fields. He took a pair of sacks and threw two interceptions.

Interesting from @ESPNStatsInfo and @henrybuggy: In Kirk Cousins’ first game following a torn Achilles, Atlanta was the only team in the NFL to not attempt a single play-action pass.

During Cousins’ tenure in Minnesota (2018-23), he led the league in Pass TD off play action…
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) September 13, 2024

Atlanta brought Cousins in because they felt he was the final piece to pushing them into Super Bowl contention. That may have been a stretch even if he was healthy, but it’s an imaginary leap if he isn’t.

Cousins is a play action quarterback that sets himself up for success by keeping the opposition guessing. He never will be a mobile quarterback, but the Falcons currently have a statue.

It seems unlikely that this playstyle can go on all season if Cousins or the Falcons want to succeed. The problem though, is that he’s not going to get healthier by continuing to play in games. On Monday Night Football against the Eagles, Cousins went 6-10 for 69 yards into the waning moments of the first half. He led a two-minute comeback to end the game and beat the Eagles. If that’s what he’s going to provide the rest of the way, then fortunes turn for the better.

The Falcons need more of Week 2 Kirk Cousins than they can afford the Week 1 version. If his body holds up then everything will be ok. If he’s limited, than the situation turns dire quickly.