CBS announce official decision on Matt Ryan replacement with $322 million QB stepping into role

Matt Ryan is no longer an analyst for CBS Sports.

But the network has already lined up his replacement and the profile of their newest recruit doesn’t deviate much from that of the former NFL quarterback.

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Following Ryan’s departure from TV to assume the responsibility of the newly-carved President of Football role at the Atlanta Falcons, CBS have enlisted that of current Falcons QB Kirk Cousins.

With the NFL divisional round just days away, and the Falcons having missed the postseason for an eighth consecutive year, Cousins will be taking up the role as a guest studio analyst for the divisional round of the playoffs.

The 37-year-old – who has earned $322 million in career earnings – will also be a part of the studio line up for the AFC Championship game, alongside Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson, James Brown and Kyle Long.

With the team currently on the hunt for a new general manager and head coach following the abrupt firing of Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris just hours the end of their regular season, Ryan has his hands full and could no longer continue in his studio role.

But Cousins may not be the only one who has a future career in media, with Morris also having been tipped with making the switch from the sideline to the studio.

Auditioning for his future?

Cousins, now 37-years-old, could be using this unique opportunity as an audition as such, as he begins to think about his career and life after football.

A 14-year NFL veteran, Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons in 2024.

However, his on-field performance in his first season didn’t align with that of the numbers on his contract, where he recorded 3,508 passing yards for 18 touchdowns and a career-worst 16 interceptions through 14 outings.

After being benched late in 2024, Cousins was named the backup for the 2025 campaign behind that of eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft Michael Penix Jr.

Rumors grew over whether Cousins would wind up being traded by the Falcons, but no deal ever materialized.

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Nonetheless, the veteran was brought into the fold again after Penix Jr. suffered a season-ending ACL tear.

In eight games under center from the start – 10 appearances overall – Cousins completed 61.7 percent of his passing for 1,721 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He fired just five interceptions, and led the Falcons to a four game winning streak to end the season, with a 5-3 record overall as the starting quarterback.

Atlanta, though, would narrowly miss out on reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2017 after their victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 18 went to a three-way tiebreaker for the NFC South.

Their 19-17 victory over New Orleans ultimately clinched the division title for their rivals, Carolina Panthers.

With Cousins having struggled to find his rhythm that earned him four Pro Bowl nods after suffering a torn Achilles mid-way through the 2023 campaign, he and the Falcons agreed to restructure the remaining two years on his contract.

Now the organization has a chance to waive Cousins in early March and spread his remaining guaranteed salary (approximately $67.5 million) over the 2026 and 2027 seasons, giving them some much-needed salary-cap relief.

With that in mind, it is possible that Cousins could retire from playing and take up a role in media, having already built up some experience after joining ESPN for the 2024 divisional round.

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