Kirk Cousins is set to quarterback the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 after agreeing to a $180 million deal to start NFL free agency. But will the former Minnesota Vikings starter keep his signature No. 8 jersey? Hours after Cousins decided to set sail for Atlanta, new teammate Kyle Pitts is already teasing the possibilities.
"Who gets to keep No. 8?" Pitts asked fans on X (formerly Twitter) Monday afternoon.
The Pro Bowl tight end, who's worn No. 8 since joining the Falcons in 2021, then shared a post from the NFL featuring an illustration of Cousins in a No. 12 Falcons jersey. He followed it up with more fuel for the fire of speculation, sharing a photo of himself at the University of Florida, where he wore No. 84.
All this comes a week after Pitts laughed off a rumor from NBC Sports about Cousins communicating with the tight end about taking his No. 8 jersey even before the official start of the free-agent negotiating period.
So where do things actually stand? The one thing we can say for sure is that No. 12 is not off the table for Cousins. The number was previously worn in Atlanta by wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge, but he is currently unsigned as a 2024 free agent. Cousins' connection to No. 12 dates back to his days in Washington, when he was assigned the number as a fourth-round draft pick in 2012. He kept No. 12 for two seasons before switching to No. 8, which he had worn at Michigan State and in high school.
Pitts, meanwhile, is still officially listed as owning No. 8, but Cousins can't officially join the Falcons' roster until Wednesday, and Pitts' posts suggest there's at least a chance he'll be changing numbers for 2024. Typically when there's a high-profile jersey swap in play, the potential number-taker offers compensation -- either a direct payment or a charitable donation -- and there are few players better positioned to spend a few extra dollars this offseason than Cousins. The quarterback's reported four-year deal with Atlanta includes $100 million guaranteed. In other words, if he truly wants No. 8, it's a safe bet he'll get it.
