Less than one full year from suffering a torn Achilles tendon, new Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has made a full recovery and is set to start Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers to open the 2024 season.
According to Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, Cousins has been medically cleared from his torn Achilles and won’t open up training camp on the Active/PUP list, making him full-go for the Falcons.
NFL Insider Ari Meirov reported the news on Twitter/X Thursday morning.
Cousins suffered his torn Achilles on Oct. 29 in Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers and had surgery shortly thereafter.
Typically, a torn Achilles recovery takes 12-18 months, but Cousins has believed all along that he’d be ready to go for the start of the 2024 season to make his Falcons debut against the Steelers inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Thursday’s medical clearance paves the way for that.
After six seasons with the Vikings, Cousins moved on in free agency. He signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons early in free agency, giving Atlanta its best quarterback since the Matt Ryan days.
In his career, Cousins has thrown for just under 40,000 yards with 270 touchdowns and just 110 interceptions on the way to five Pro Bowl nods. However, he’s just 76-67-2 in his career and is just 1-3 in the playoffs.
It will be a big test for the Steelers’ defense right out of the gate as they’ll take on Cousins and the Falcons, featuring an offense loaded with playmakers, including wide receivers Drake London and Darnell Mooney, and running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.
But the Steelers’ pass rush should be licking its chops to get a shot at the 36-year-old Cousins coming off the torn Achilles behind an offensive line that allowed 40 sacks last season, even with more mobile quarterbacks last season than Cousins with the likes of Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke.
Pittsburgh’s defense racked up 47 sacks last season, with outside linebacker T.J. Watt leading the way with 19.5 and fellow outside linebacker Alex Highsmith generating 7.0.
Cousins has never been the most mobile and has relied on his quick release, accuracy, and football IQ, all of which will have to be heightened in Week 1 against the Steelers in his return from the serious injury.
