Falcons QB Kirk Cousins makes promising statement amid health speculation

There seems to be more pressure than ever on the Falcons' new 35-year-old quarterback, Kirk Cousins.

Atlanta used the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. while Cousins continues to work his way back from his torn Achilles tendon.

Cousins, who is surely feeling the pressure, said if the Falcons needed him to play today, he would.

"I'm good to go," Cousins said on "The Dan Patrick Show." "I've told people for a while that if the Super Bowl were today, I'm playing. And that goes back probably — I think when I first got here, I was working out and we got maybe a week or two into my rehab and I did some drills where I said, 'Hey, if the Super Bowl were today, I'm playing.' And they seemed to agree."

That's great news for Atlanta, which handed the veteran a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed.

Penix Jr. may be the team's future but there's no arguing Cousins gives it the best chance to win now.

Still, there is a bit of an asterisk over Cousins' statement. He may be willing to put his body on the line if the Super Bowl were today but would the same remain true for a regular-season game?

Cousins hinted he's still trying to teach his body he is no longer limited.

"So, you know, once that tendon gets stabilized and healed and the tissue connects, you really just are trying to work through telling your body that you're good now, because the brain still wants to guard and protect and it takes some time," Cousins added.

That seems to imply that he does not feel fully healthy quite yet. Luckily for Cousins and the Falcons, there is plenty of time between now and Week 1 for him to get there.