The NFL tradedeadline hit at 4 PM EST Tuesday. A bunch of trades went down that day, shaking up playoff hopes and teams' future plans.

The New York Jets came out on top, trading stars like Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams for a crazy amount of draft picks – three first-rounders and a second-rounder between 2026 and 2027. The Philadelphia Eagles also got props for making smart moves to beef up their defense without spending too much, grabbing Jaelan Phillips and Michael Carter II. On the other hand, teams like the Bills and Chiefs didn't do anything, which bummed out fans who wanted some new players.

Kirk Cousins was another big winner. But his team, the Atlanta Falcons, might be the biggest loser. After 4 pm, they had to pay Cousins $90 million… to be a backup.

The $90 Million Backup

Way back in March 2024, the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal with $90 million guaranteed. Looked good on paper, if a bit pricey, for a team needing a reliable quarterback. Cousins, coming off an Achilles injury in Minnesota, was known as an efficient passer and a savvy negotiator.

Then came the twist. Just six weeks later, Atlanta picked Michael Penix Jr. in the draft. Everyone was shocked. Cousins hadn't even played a game for the team, and suddenly he had a replacement waiting in the wings.

Right away. Things got weird. Cousins started 2024 as the team's leader, but when Penix stepped in, Cousins went from key player to just filling a spot. The team shopped him around in 2025, hoping to get rid of some of that huge contract. But when no one bit before the deadline, that guaranteed money was set in stone.

Now that the deadline's passed, Atlanta's stuck paying Cousins $90 million for only 15 games – 14 starts last season and one this year. That's about $6 million a game, a crazy price for a quarterback who's now chilling on the sidelines. It's the latest chapter in one of the most financially wild careers ever.

$411 Million Career Earnings

Can't blame Cousins for any of this. For over ten years, he's turned good play and perfect timing into a financial goldmine. Ever since Washington tagged him twice – paying him $46 million over two seasons – Cousins has always made the most of his position. In 2018, he was the first quarterback to sign a fully guaranteed contract, getting $84 million from the Minnesota Vikings.

He followed that with a two-year, $66 million extension, then a one-year, $35 million deal, earning about $230 million in Minnesota. Add in his time with Washington and his first two seasons in Atlanta, and Cousins has made around $321 million in actual cash.

Because of the guarantees in his Falcons deal, Cousins is getting the full $90 million from the start of his contract – even if he never plays again. That brings his total guaranteed career earnings to about $384 million. And if he stays on Atlanta's roster through 2027, he'll push that total to around $411 million, putting him among the highest-paid players in NFL history, with Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.

All of it comes down to one thing: betting on himself. Cousins might not be the most athletic or have the most playoff wins, but he's the best at turning opportunities into guaranteed money. He's not just a quarterback anymore – he's a living example of how to win in the business side of the NFL.