In a surprising twist, Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins recently admitted that an injury played a role in his late-season struggles. During an interview with Good Morning Football on the NFL Network, Cousins revealed he suffered a shoulder injury in Week 10 against the Saints, which he says never fully healed.

“I took a hard hit to my right shoulder and elbow, and it was something I had to deal with the rest of the season,” Cousins shared. “I couldn’t get back to where I wanted to be. Now that the season’s over, I’m focusing on getting my shoulder and elbow healthy again. I feel like there’s still a lot of football left in me.”

This admission comes after Cousins, along with head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot, insisted throughout the season that his health wasn’t a factor in his declining performance. By Week 14, Cousins was benched in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr., marking a dramatic turn for the veteran QB.

Interestingly, the Falcons were sitting pretty at 6-3 and leading the NFC South before that Week 10 game. Cousins was among the league’s top performers, ranking seventh in expected points per dropback and tied for fourth in passing touchdowns. But after the injury, things went downhill fast. Over the next five games, he threw nine interceptions and just one touchdown pass, resulting in the team losing their division lead to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Despite being listed on the injury report only once after the Saints game, Cousins and the Falcons maintained that he was physically fine. Fontenot even said after the season, “He was healthy. The play just wasn’t there.”

Now, the Falcons are moving forward with Penix as their starter, leaving Cousins’ future uncertain. While the team has hinted they’d welcome him back as a backup, Cousins isn’t ready to accept that role just yet.

“I still feel like I have a lot of good football left,” he said. “My focus right now is getting healthy. That’s the priority.”

As the offseason unfolds, it’ll be interesting to see where Cousins lands and how this revelation impacts his next chapter in the NFL.

(Photo: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)