The Atlanta Falcons thought they were done facing questions about Kirk Cousins when they released him this offseason. Now they could be facing Cousins himself before the month is over.
The Las Vegas Raiders are trading the veteran quarterback to the Minnesota Vikings, returning him to his former team just weeks before Atlanta visits Minneapolis. The matchup comes with another wrinkle for the Falcons: They’re still helping pay his 2026 salary.
Kirk Cousins Trade Sets Up Falcons Reunion With Vikings
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Las Vegas is sending Cousins to Minnesota ahead of the trade deadline. The Raiders are receiving a third-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The timing didn’t escape ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, who pointed out that the Falcons will see a familiar face on Thanksgiving weekend.
Atlanta visits Minnesota on Sunday, Nov. 29, at 1 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Falcons face the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend before their bye, making the Vikings their next opponent after the break.
Cousins hasn’t been named Minnesota’s starter for that game, but the Vikings didn’t give up a third-rounder to add another quarterback without considering a change.
Minnesota is 6-2 despite its struggles at quarterback. The Vikings lost 23-6 to Buffalo on Monday after Carson Wentz completed just 8 of 25 passes for 81 yards and two interceptions. Kyler Murray has also missed time with a hamstring injury.
Cousins spent six seasons with Minnesota from 2018 through 2023, including two under current coach Kevin O’Connell. He threw for 4,547 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2022 as the Vikings went 13-4.
Kirk Cousins Has Produced Better Numbers Away From Falcons
The 38-year-old has played well enough to keep No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza on the Raiders’ bench for nine games.
Cousins completed 202 of 315 passes (64.1%) for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions with Las Vegas. He posted a 97.1 passer rating and went 4-5 as the starter.
His last start wasn’t nearly as impressive. Cousins threw three interceptions in a 38-17 loss to San Francisco, finishing 22-for-32 for 216 yards and one touchdown.
Still, he has already thrown more touchdown passes this season than he did in his first year with Atlanta. He finished 2024 with 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and a league-high 16 interceptions before Michael Penix Jr. took his starting job.
In 2025, Cousins returned to the lineup after Penix suffered a season-ending knee injury. He finished with 1,721 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 appearances.
Falcons Still Paying Kirk Cousins After Raiders Contract
Atlanta signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in 2024, then released him after only two seasons. But the financial relationship didn’t end when he left.
Thanks to an unusual Raiders contract structure, Cousins was guaranteed $20 million for 2026, including $8.7 million still owed by Atlanta.
The Raiders’ agreement included a $1.3 million base salary for 2026 and a separate $10 million guaranteed roster bonus payable in March 2027, which isn’t subject to offset. It also included an $80 million team option covering 2027 and 2028.
Those contract terms meant Cousins could collect his guaranteed money from Atlanta while also securing a significant payment through his new team. The Vikings trade adds another stop to the arrangement.
And if Cousins takes the field against Atlanta, the Falcons will be trying to stop a former quarterback who is still costing them millions.
Falcons Get Unexpected Kirk Cousins News After Vikings Trade