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Stephen A. Smith opens door for potential Kirk Cousins return

After Kirk Cousins' lousy Monday Night performance, 11-of-17 passes for just 112 yards, a touchdown and an interception, against the Las Vegas Raiders, the team chose to bench him for the final three games. The team announced that rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will start the final three games of the 2024-2025 season.

In his first career start, Penix Jr. will face the struggling 2-12 New York Giants, who many think is the worst team in the NFL.

Speaking about the Falcons' move to bench Cousins and Penix's first NFL game against one of, if not, the worst teams in the NFL, Stephen A. Smith said on "First Take" that the team could return to Cousins.

"The bottom line is this show you can go back to Kirk Cousins," Smith said. "You're wrong on this one. Here's why. If they're going up against the New York Giants, which is the definition of a bye week in this particular season, okay. It is nothing. I mean, the Giants are trash. That awful. You understand? I'm saying they stink just as much as the swamp."
"If you go out there as a rookie and you stink up the joint against the New York Giants, right, you're clearly not ready yet. And under those circumstances, you can come back to Kirk Cousins, because you could give him that week off."

Michael Penix Jr. opens up on the team turning to him after benching Kirk Cousins

Michael Penix Jr. during Atlanta Falcons vs. Las Vegas Raiders - Source: Getty
Michael Penix Jr. during Atlanta Falcons vs. Las Vegas Raiders - Source: Getty

Michael Penix Jr</a>., like any rookie quarterback or quarterback getting their first career start, sounds more than happy to get the opportunity to start.

Penix told reporters Wednesday at a team practice that he wasn't hungry anymore after he got the call that he would be the starter.

“Whenever I got the call, I wasn’t hungry no more," he said. "I got the call, and they told me I was going to be the starting quarterback for the rest of the season. As you can imagine it was some nerves, it was excitement, but I’m just super blessed to be in this position."
"Super blessed to be on this team for the opportunity. Like I always say, my family they always say, just trust in god and trust in the process and go about each and every day with that trust and belief that whenever it’s your time, it’s your time."

Penix Jr. was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft after leading the Washington Huskies to the National Championship last season.

Kirk Cousins signed a four-year $180 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons this offseason, which includes $100 million guaranteed. The Falcons could move on from him via trade or release this upcoming offseason, but they'd take on a hit of some of his salary with either option.

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