Russini’s what I’m hearing: Cousins’ past and future, Belichick’s interest in college is real

Here we go — it’s December, Christmas is less than three weeks away, the regular season is winding down, and the playoff race is heating up. My apologies, I’m not trying to rush things; blame the three teams that have already punched their tickets to the postseason: the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Detroit Lions. That’s a clear sign we are getting close to the end.

It’s also the end of the road for a few teams. The New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, and New York Giants are officially out of the playoff picture, with work toward next season already underway in their buildings. NFL owners will meet in Irving, Texas next week and I expect lots of conversation about the next wave of head coach firings and hirings. At this point, Cleveland Browns consultant and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson are the two top names teams are discussing internally.

We’ll have plenty to share over the next few weeks on the hiring and firing front. For now it’s crunch time in the NFL. Here’s what I’m hearing:

• How the Falcons are handling Kirk Cousins’ slump

• Ahead of his return to Minnesota, a look back on the end of Cousins’ Vikings days

• Bill Belichick, college coach? It could really happen

• How attractive is the Bears job?

• The Al-Shaair suspension remains a conversation topic across the NFL

• What that Broncos-Browns shootout can teach us about holiday shopping

Falcons’ faith in Cousins still holds

Despite recent struggles, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris has been clear: He’s standing by Kirk Cousins. Often, we see head coaches open the door to speculation in moments like this, after Atlanta’s miserable loss to the Chargers, in which Cousins threw four interceptions and the rest of the offense looked lost. But Morris is confident Cousins will bounce back.

Around the league, other coaches have pointed out Morris’s steadiness and belief in the quarterback, knowing it’s never easy when you have a top draft pick sitting on the bench behind you. There is no denying Cousins played poorly last week, but the team isn’t listening to those clamoring for Michael Penix Jr. I’m told no internal discussions of a QB switch have happened at this point. Atlanta is showing faith in Cousins, particularly with the added motivation of facing his former team, the Minnesota Vikings, on Sunday.

We’ll see if anything shifts as the season winds down — especially if the team decides it needs a spark to claim the division they were expected to dominate.

How it ended in Minnesota

From what I understand, Cousins has no regrets about leaving Minnesota. It was never going to get messy when he left either — Cousins just isn’t that kind of guy, and neither is Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. Everyone knew they wanted to keep working together for the 2024 season and beyond, but sometimes, plans change. And like any breakup, it stung. Cousins was disappointed and O’Connell had to adjust.

Anticipating a strong market in a quarterback-needy league, O’Connell knew his chances of retaining Cousins were slim. For months leading up to free agency, inside the Vikings’ facility, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah led some tough discussions about the future. Cousins was recovering from an Achilles injury — a challenge for any quarterback, especially one in his mid-30s. The Vikings had a decision to make. O’Connell believed in Cousins and was confident he could bounce back and continue as the starter, but not everyone in the organization shared that optimism. The team also had its eyes on the future, knowing the upcoming draft class was loaded with quarterback talent. Ownership was clear: They wanted to draft a young QB. That news didn’t sit well with Cousins, who had been hoping for a vote of confidence, not a smaller window with the Vikings.

Still, as decision day in March drew closer, Cousins was optimistic it would work out and Minnesota would step up. He and O’Connell were staying in touch and both were hoping the team’s offer would be sufficient. At the same time, rumblings of interest from the Falcons grew louder. Rumors were swirling that, with a strong roster already in place, Atlanta was willing to give multiple years of guaranteed money to land a seasoned quarterback.

Kevin O’Connell and Kirk Cousins were both hoping for the quarterback’s return to Minnesota last offseason. (Quinn Harris / Getty Images)

When the legal tampering period opened, the Falcons swooped in with a four-year, $180 million deal, $100 million in guarantees. It was the kind of contract that said, “You’re our guy.” As for the Vikings, they didn’t budge when it came to that kind of guaranteed money.

Minnesota weighed other options. They had monitored Matthew Stafford’s difficult contract negotiation with the Rams (O’Connell was Stafford’s offensive coordinator during the Super Bowl season in L.A.), but Sam Darnold emerged as their first choice. One day after Cousins inked his contract with the Falcons, Minnesota signed Darnold to a one-year deal.

For Cousins, the Falcons represented a fresh start and stability — something he craved after the uncertainty in Minnesota. He also wasn’t worried about his organization drafting a rookie quarterback. However, that security lasted less than 60 days.

On April 25, the first night of the NFL draft, everything changed again. As Cousins told the “Scoop City” podcast last summer, he was heading home from a Falcons draft party at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when his phone rang. It was Zac Robinson, Atlanta’s offensive coordinator, calling with a heads-up: The Falcons were about to draft a quarterback with the No. 8 pick. The call was brief, and moments later, Penix became a Falcon.

That night, the shock was palpable around the league. I called Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, who answered immediately. He was getting calls from dozens of reporters wanting to understand the dynamic. I could tell he was also surprised by the move. When I asked if he knew about the pick, McCartney said they knew Atlanta had discussed taking a quarterback at some point in the draft, but they didn’t expect it would be in the first round. Cousins, he told me, was also stunned and disappointed.

This was supposed to be Cousins’ last stop, a place where he could settle with his family and play without a rookie breathing down his neck. Yet here he was, once again facing uncertainty. Cousins handled the sudden change with class, reaching out to Penix to welcome him to the team. Since then the Falcons have been up and down. Cousins started out hot, but the team is currently on a three-game losing streak and questions still linger regarding Cousins’ comfort in the pocket since his achilles surgery.

Meanwhile, O’Connell is a strong contender for the NFL Coach of the Year award after another stellar season with yet another quarterback. The expectation is that the Vikings will offer O’Connell a contract extension — 2025 is the final year of his current deal — though at this point, there have been no discussions.

For now, though, the Vikings are focused on keeping their momentum and making a deep playoff run. And for Cousins, the challenge now is proving that, despite all the twists and turns, he’s still the guy Atlanta can trust to send them into January.

Belichick back to school?

Eight NFL teams changed coaches during the previous cycle, and Bill Belichick — a six-time Super Bowl winner, and arguably the most accomplished head coach in pro football history — attracted shockingly little interest. Belichick, fired by the Patriots last January after 24 seasons, formally interviewed for only one of the other seven openings, emerging as a finalist for the Falcons job that ultimately went to Morris. Since then, Belichick has become highly visible via various media ventures, and I’ve been told by multiple people that he is focused on a head coaching position in 2025. That also includes college jobs.

Belichick was in attendance for a game between the University of Washington, where his son Steve is defensive coordinator, and the University of Michigan in October. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images)

If we’ve learned anything from his time off the field, you still get a strong sense that Belichick loves talking and teaching football. But as it turns out, Belichick may be tired of waiting for NFL owners to call. He has had multiple conversations with the University of North Carolina about their coaching vacancy. He’s one of several candidates for the job previously held by Mack Brown — and the talks are not for show. The interest is real, and if Belichick is offered the job, a source familiar with his thinking expects him to take it.

Why would Belichick, 72, blink early and take a college job? Well, for one, he was turned off by last January’s experience and the lack of action he received. There’s the conventional wisdom that Belichick wants to return to the NFL and surpass Don Shula’s record for career victories (Belichick, with 333, trails the former Dolphins and Colts coaching legend by 14 wins). Breaking that record would mean a lot to Belichick, but it’s not the be-all, end-all. Keep in mind, Belichick wants to run a program without interference, and based on the NFL jobs that are expected to be available, there aren’t many organizations who fit that mold.

Though he has spent his entire career in the NFL, Belichick often had college coaches like Kirk Ferentz, Greg Schiano, and Urban Meyer visit during the offseason, and spent quality time with Nick Saban. He has also become more familiar with the college game this season as his son, Steve, has served as the University of Washington’s defensive coordinator. Presumably, the Belichicks could reunite in Chapel Hill. But the bottom line: Coaches coach.

Coaching candidates size up Chicago

There’s chatter around the league — and plenty of mixed opinions — about whether the Chicago Bears’ head coaching job is as appealing as team president Kevin Warren claims it to be. On paper, you can see his argument. They’ve got a young quarterback on a rookie deal and a favorable salary-cap situation, which are big selling points to any coach.

But that’s not the issue. There are decades worth of cautionary tales regarding the organization from the top down, and any candidate is going to want a clear understanding of the relationship between Warren and GM Ryan Poles. Who has the final say, and how will that dynamic affect the head coach’s authority?

It’s no surprise that coaching agents and potential candidates are already doing their homework on Chicago’s ownership and leadership dynamic. They’re trying to figure out if this is a stable situation, or if it’s a risky landing spot. The team claims they’re searching for a “leader of men,” and that might be true — but in Chicago, it seems the men already in the building might be under evaluation as well.

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The Al-Shaair debate

Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is officially out for the next month after the NFL spent about 45 minutes hearing arguments in the appeal of his three-game suspension. The ruling stood. With the Texans on a bye this week, Al-Shaair won’t be allowed near the team’s facilities, meeting rooms, or games until after the team’s Christmas day game against the Ravens.

It’s no secret Texans GM Nick Caserio, head coach DeMeco Ryans, and Al-Shaair himself are frustrated with the league’s process and what they consider inconsistencies in it. This suspension has sparked widespread debate around the NFL, with plenty of differing opinions about how the league handled the situation. One NFL head coach offered some insight into the league’s perspective: “The NFL has to protect its $250 million investments — it’s that simple. Nobody wants to watch games with backup quarterbacks, and the league understands that. The refs do a solid job spotting the ball where the first body part touches, and fake slides aren’t really an issue anymore. After Kenny Pickett’s move, they changed the rule to mark players down if they fake a slide, so that’s been addressed.

“But things happen fast on the field, and late slides are always going to be a gray area. Sometimes quarterbacks are going to get hit, but the key is making sure defenders aren’t targeting the head or neck with a helmet, shoulder, or forearms — that’s where the big penalties come in. Defenders need to be coached to lead with their hands, not their heads. Sliding QBs lower their target area, which makes it tougher to land a clean hit.

“I tell my quarterbacks to go for the Superman dive, like Carson Wentz used to do. You can get a few extra yards while still being protected from head and neck hits. The rules are what they are.”

Lessons in value shopping

Finally, a lesson as gift-giving season enters its most frenzied time: It turns out, you don’t always get what you pay for.

Monday night’s game between the Broncos and Browns was a perfect example. The two teams lit up the scoreboard, combining for 71 points and 952 yards of offense. Leading the way? Jameis Winston and rookie Bo Nix, quarterbacks making a combined total of less than $9 million this year.

Box Nix and Jameis Winston put up monster numbers, while playing on relatively paltry quarterback salaries, on Monday night. (Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)

But here’s the bogus part: Both teams are still shelling out massive amounts of money for quarterbacks who didn’t even suit up. Denver is paying Russell Wilson more than $39 million, and Cleveland is forking out $45 million-plus for Deshaun Watson. That’s roughly $84 million combined.

Denver and Cleveland are prime case studies in the risks of swinging big at the quarterback position — trading for veteran stars and inking them to massive contract extensions. Fast forward to today, and Wilson is enjoying a career resurgence in Pittsburgh after flaming out as a Bronco, and Watson has suffered his second season-ending injury in as many years.

Sean Payton endured criticism for benching Wilson late last season before ultimately cutting him and rolling with Nix, the No. 12 pick of the draft. Watson still hasn’t recorded a 300-yard passing game since joining Cleveland in 2022. But both teams are examples of the importance of identifying value. Joe Flacco led the Browns to the playoffs last year. Winston has injected life into his team, even if a postseason appearance isn’t in the cards. And Payton — bolstered by an improving Nix and one of the league’s stingiest defenses — has an inside track on ending the NFL’s second-longest active playoff drought.

So as you’re racing through stores or scrolling online for gifts, remember: It isn’t about the price tag — it’s about getting the right fit.

(Top photo: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)