With the exception of his first two NFL seasons with the Washington Redskins when he wore No. 12, Kirk Cousins has worn No. 8 dating back to high school.
Now, Cousins will be wearing some new digits for his upcoming stint with the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons announced Monday that Cousins will don No. 18 for the team.
With this news, it seems clear that tight end Kyle Pitts, who has been No. 8 since entering the NFL in 2021, will keep the number. That’s good news for any Falcons fans who purchased Pitts jerseys in recent years.
“If it’s a number you want to pivot from, great, you let me know,” Cousins said last week after signing with Atlanta. “I’ve obviously worn No. 8 since high school. If it’s a number you want to keep, that’s fine, no problem. I just want to be a good teammate.”
Pitts himself said he was willing to give up No. 8 as long as Cousins would provide one thing in return.
“I just want targets every game,” Pitts said.
The Falcons are clearly banking on Cousins stabilizing their offense and increasing its productivity after two years of struggling with Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke.
Atlanta signed Cousins to a four-year deal worth a reported $180 million. The 12-year vet is coming off a torn Achilles, but is expected to be good to go this summer.