Kirk Cousins Signs $180M Contract With Atlanta Falcons: Reports

MINNEAPOIS — The Kirk Cousins era in Minnesota is over. The 35-year-old veteran NFL quarterback has signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons, according to multiple reports.

A total of $100 million of the contract is completely guaranteed. "The Vikings pushed strongly for Cousins’s services, but in the end, the Falcons were going to go as far as they needed to make this happen," the Athletic's Dianna Russini reported.

The move indicates that the Falcons' front office is going all in on the present iteration of the team. Cousins will turn 36 before the NFL season starts, and he's also coming off a torn Achilles.

The Falcons went 7-10 last season with quarterback Desmond Rigger at the helm for most of the season. Taylor Heinicke played in five games and Logan Woodside took snaps in one.

The Vikings made an honest effort to retain Cousins but were unwilling to match the offer from Atlanta.

"After significant and positive dialogue with Kirk and his representatives, we were unable to reach agreement on a contract that fits the short and long-term visions for both Kirk and the Minnesota Vikings," said Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in a statement.

"Kirk holds a special place in Vikings history, and we appreciate his leadership and contributions to the team and the Minneapolis-St. Paul community over the past six seasons. We wish him, his wife, Julie, and their children all the best."

Adofo-Mensah added that his approach heading into free agency "always included layers of contingencies regarding the quarterback position" and that he is "moving forward with plans that allow us to continue building a roster that can compete for a championship."