"You weren't getting the job done" - Cam Newton shows no sympathy for Kirk Cousins after QB rants about being 'misled' by Falcons

Kirk Cousins is set to start the 2025 NFL season as the backup quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. The four-time Pro Bowler addressed his current situation on the latest season of Netflix's Quarterback series.

"At the time, it felt like I had been a little bit misled," Cousins said. "Or certainly, if I had the information around free agency, it certainly would have affected my decision."

Former NFL MVP Cam Newton showed no sympathy for the Falcons' QB. Speaking on Thursday’s episode of 4th & 1, he said:

"I don’t care enough, because to be honest with you, Kirko, you made money, bro. It’s okay. You weren’t getting the job done, bro. Straight up. If you were getting the job done, then you would still be the guy. Yeah, because he came there, they drafted him, and you still had a chance to play. It’s not like they drafted you as the starter. You had every right to protect your position until you started realizing, like, bro.

"Let me tell you something: what a time to be in Atlanta last year. That Thursday night game when he put up 500? I ain’t never did that. Now, I done did a lot of things in this game of football, but I ain’t never thrown for 500 yards. That’s something that probably will never be broken again. 500 yards in one game? Man, there are folks it takes five games to get 500, let alone in just one game."

The one-time Super Bowl finalist concluded by saying:

"I’ll say it like this: if he was on a one-year deal, maybe I’d feel bad. Oh man. But bro, you done brought home 40-plus million dollars to sit on the bench."

Cam Newton spent 11 years in the NFL and knows what it feels like to be a starter and backup QB in the league. He believes that Kirk Cousins would probably still be starting in Atlanta if he kept performing at an elite level.

However, the drop in his performance and the presence of Michael Penix Jr. on the roster were too big for the Falcons to ignore. He's now set to enter the 2025 season in a less-than-desirable position.

Kirk Cousins set to be the most expensive backup QB in 2025

Barring any unforeseen situation, Kirk Cousins will enter the 2025 season as the most expensive backup quarterback in NFL history. The perennial Pro Bowler signed a four-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons, reportedly worth up to $180 million ahead of the 2024 season. However, he's now behind Michael Penix Jr. on the depth chart.

Some teams were reported to show interest in Cousins ahead of the 2025 NFL draft. However, none of them opted to make a trade with the Falcons.

However, Cousins has done his part in maintaining a professional outlook despite the situation. He attended mandatory minicamp in June despite his absence from OTAs.

With training camp around the corner, it remains to be seen how both Cousins and the Falcons decide to proceed.