TAMPA, Fla. — Last Tuesday, Kirk Cousins reached out to Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris with a request to address the team. Morris granted him the opportunity on Friday, allowing Cousins to speak to the players following a disappointing loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 7.
“This league can be tough and challenging every day, and it can knock you down, but you have to rise again,” Cousins shared during his postgame news conference on Sunday. “Sometimes I find myself needing motivation, and when I was encouraging myself, I thought perhaps others could benefit from it too.”
The Falcons took Cousins’ message to heart, bouncing back with a 31-26 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Safety Jessie Bates III noted that while Cousins’ remarks were kept private, they had a significant impact. With this win, Atlanta improved to 4-0 in the NFC South, including two victories over their main rivals, the Buccaneers.
Cousins had an impressive game, completing 23 of 29 passes for 276 yards, along with four touchdown passes. He continued his strong performance against the Bucs, following a franchise-record 509-yard game earlier in the season. Cousins has now become only the fourth quarterback in NFL history to achieve 750 passing yards and eight touchdowns against a single team in one season, joining legends such as Dan Marino, Joe Montana, and Y.A. Tittle.
He connected with tight end Kyle Pitts for two touchdowns, and wide receiver Darnell Mooney and running back Bijan Robinson caught one touchdown each. This marked the first time since Matt Ryan in 2020 that a Falcons quarterback threw for three touchdowns in a single first half.
This game also marked one year since Cousins tore his right Achilles while playing for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8 of 2023. The Falcons signed him to a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason. Cousins reflected on this milestone earlier in the week.
Even with his past injury, Cousins displayed his determination by executing a 13-yard scramble in the fourth quarter, a crucial moment that helped secure the victory for the Falcons.
“As a player, I want to do more of that,” Cousins stated. “I keep telling my coaches that I can do it; I just need to do it more often.”
Morris humorously remarked that watching Cousins make that run made him feel like throwing a “pool party,” jokingly comparing his move to that of star quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Following the victory, Cousins opted not to deliver a speech, but Bates mentioned that Cousins did engage in some celebratory dancing in the locker room, perhaps channeling his “Kirko Chainz” persona.
In line with their road game mentality, the Falcons adopted a motto inspired by Atlanta rapper Bankroll Fresh that emphasizes taking control when playing in an opponent’s territory.
“We’re enjoying the victory, and the music was playing, so I wanted to take a moment to soak it in,” Cousins said. “It was about going on the road and taking over the trap.”