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7 months ago
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Michael Penix Jr. has revealed he had a 'good conversation' with Kirk Cousins following the Atlanta Falcons' controversial decision to sign both quarterbacks.
Just over a month since they handed Cousins, 35, a four-year, $180million contract, the Falcons stunned both their new recruit and football fans by picking Penix with the eighth overall pick at this week's NFL Draft.
Atlanta had been expected to use the pick to boost their pass rush, only to produce a major shock by selecting the former Huskies star, 23, who led Washington to the national championship game last season.
Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy led the criticism of the Falcons online, branding the team 'not serious people' and 'idiots' for drafting Penix.
Amid the controversy, reports from the NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah and others also claimed that Cousins himself was left surprised having only discovered that Penix would be chosen while the Falcons were on the clock.
Michael Penix Jr. (right) has revealed he had a 'good conversation' with Kirk Cousins (left)
Penix Jr. was selected by the Falcons with the eighth overall pick at this year's NFL Draft
Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180m deal in Atlanta last month, was surprised by the move
Yet according to Penix, the quarterback duo have already cleared the air since his draft pick on Thursday.
'I'm going to keep it just between me and him right now,' he said Friday at the Falcons' facility.
'But it was definitely a good conversation, and I'm super excited to work with him, and he said he's the same with me.'
Cousins' camp is said to have been left frustrated with the Falcons for seemingly using their first-round pick to acquire his long-term successor instead of strengthening in other areas for the 2024 season.
However, the veteran NFL star's agent, Mike McCartney, told ESPN that his client understands the business and is now ready to move on.
'He got called on the clock, obviously because of the sensitive time with the issues of what you got going on,' Falcons coach Raheem Morris said about Cousins on Thursday night.
'It's never a right time to talk to a quarterback about those things, and reactions are always going to be private when it comes to those things, unless Kirk decides to tell you some of those things that are whatever they may be.
'But he's a competitor, just like us all. And you can always expect those things to go just like you kind of think.'
But Penix Jr. says he has already spoken with Cousins following the controversial draft
The Falcons also focused on offensive playmakers with their last three first-round picks. Tight end Kyle Pitts was the No. 4 overall pick in 2021, followed by wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson, each No. 8, the last two years.
Penix, who will be 24 as a rookie, led FBS schools with 4,903 passing yards and was third with 36 touchdown passes. He won the Maxwell Award as the nation's top player.
'If I'm not on the field right away, I'm learning,' he added. 'But at the same time, I'm still going to prepare like I'm going to be on that field, because you never know what can happen. You never know when your number is called, but you gotta be ready.
'So, for me, I'm going to do whatever I can to be ready at Day 1. I'm still going to put in the same work. I'm going to prepare, I'm going to work just as [much as if] I'm the starter.'
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