Report: Cousins 'shocked' as Falcons draft Penix at No. 8

Kirk Cousins was "shocked" and "disappointed" after the Atlanta Falcons drafted fellow quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, a source told NFL Network's Jane Slater.

Atlanta turned the draft on its head early Thursday night, drafting a quarterback weeks after giving Cousins a four-year, $180-million deal. The contract includes $100 million guaranteed and a no-trade clause.

"Yes, it was a big surprise," Cousins' agent, Mike McCartney, told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. "We had no idea this was coming. The truth is the whole league had no idea this was coming. We got no heads up. Kirk got a call from the Falcons when they were on the clock. That was the first we heard. It never came up in any conversation."

McCartney also told The Athletic's Dianna Russini he's concerned the Penix pick won't help the Falcons this season. Cousins, 35, is working his way back from a torn Achilles that cut short his final season with the Minnesota Vikings.

"I'm not gonna say I knew it was coming," Penix said, according to ESPN's Marc Raimondi, "but I knew once the phone call came through."

The stunning selection lit up social media: