He just couldn’t play it physically any more in the eyes of the Falcons. That bled into some issues in the way he played the position mentally as well.“It led into a position where they believed he was unplayable.

The Atlanta Falcons shelved quarterback Kirk Cousins ahead of their Week 15 matchup with the New York Giants, the first time in years Cousins was a QB2 while healthy. And things only got worse from there.

Amid a playoff push, one to end a six-season drought, the Falcons’ focus is on the Commanders as Michael Penix Jr. and Jayden Daniels square off in the NFL’s first-ever primetime matchup between two rookie first-round picks.