Rewritten Article: The Atlanta Falcons shocked the NFL community by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. With the No. 8 pick in the draft just weeks after signing Kirk Cousins to a substantial contract, according to reports on Thursday night. Former NFL player and CBS analyst Ross Tucker criticized this decision during an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show” on Friday, calling it both selfish and disrespectful towards Cousins’ position as starting quarterback for the team.
Tucker explained that in his experience working within the league, decisions are often made with a focus on job security or preservation rather than what is best for the team itself. He suggested that Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris realized they would likely have success over the next couple of years due to Cousins’ presence but wanted Penix as their eventual replacement, giving them a four-year runway in which to evaluate him before making any drastic decisions.
Tucker labelled this decision as borderline disrespectful from a former player’s perspective and admitted it was one of the worst moves he had seen recently. He argued that Cousins deserved better treatment than being put in an awkward position, with Penix waiting in the wings to potentially take his place sooner rather than later.
Despite this criticism, Penix revealed during a news conference on Friday that Cousins was informed of the pick as it happened and had already reached out to him alongside Falcons legend Michael Vick. The rookie also expressed confidence about working behind Cousins in order to ensure there would be no drop-off when he eventually stepped onto the field, vowing to put in plenty of hard work along the way.
Cousins himself has only ever won one playoff game during his lengthy career and is being relied upon heavily by the Falcons as they aim for their first Super Bowl triumph in franchise history – a bold bet worth around $100m (£76.39). The AP also contributed to this report.
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