Arthur Blank – ‘Don’t believe’ Falcons tampered for Kirk Cousins،
ORLANDO, Fla. — Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said he doesn't believe his organization committed any tampering in the team's pursuit of its new quarterback, Kirk Cousins, then that the NFL is investigating the matter.
“We obviously don't believe we tampered with the agreement, and we've shared all the information with the league,” Blank said at the NFL's annual meeting Monday. “And they will look at the process and the facts and they are in the process of doing it, and whatever the outcome is, we will deal with it.”
The Falcons officially signed Cousins to a four-year contract worth up to $180 million on the first day of official free agency, two days after his agent, Mike McCartney, announced on social media that Cousins and Atlanta had agreed to the terms.
During Cousins' opening press conference, he indicated that he had spoken with the team's head coach before 4 p.m. on March 13, when the new league year was scheduled to open. Teams can speak with agents during the legal trading window from noon ET on March 11 until the start of the new year, but cannot speak directly with players unless the player does not have a agent and be his own representation.
“When you get here and you look around and you think, boy, there are some great people here,” Cousins said on March 13. And it's not just about the football team. I mean, I look at the support staff, the meetings, calling yesterday, calling our head athletic trainer and talking to our public relations guy , I think we have good people here.
“And it’s exciting to be a part of it.”
A day after Cousins' press conference, a league source told ESPN that the NFL was looking into the matter.
Atlanta signed Cousins to replace the combination of Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder, who has since been traded to Arizona, as their starting quarterback. Cousins completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 39,471 yards, 270 touchdowns and 110 interceptions for Minnesota and Washington after being selected in the fourth round of the 2012 draft by the now-Cmd.
Quarterback had been Atlanta's offseason priority and at Cousins, they believe they have found a solution at their position, which the club has been looking for since the Matt Ryan trade to Indianapolis in March 2022. Atlanta has not not finished a season above -.500 or reached the playoffs since 2017.
“Obviously our football people were convinced. I think our fans would definitely agree with that,” Blank said Monday. “He's a very high quality quarterback, he's played at a high level for 12 years in the league and he feels very lucky to have him as a quarterback and I can't wait to see the results with him.
“He has all the intangibles, not just the tangibles, but the intangibles. … He's in the house, ready to go to work, he's working and seeing how it goes.”
