Cousins' return to Minnesota, his NFL home from 2018 through 2023, on Sunday comes as he is hearing speculation about his job security in Atlanta. Cousins has thrown six interceptions with no touchdowns in the Falcons' three-game losing streak. That includes four picks in last week's 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, his most in a decade.

The Vikings certainly have no ill will towards Cousins because he was extremely popular in the locker room before he left and was a strong and accurate passer. But if the Vikings had kept Cousins for another tour of duty, they would have had to give him a contract similar to the one he signed with the Falcons.

Dan Graziano of ESPN outlined the chances that the Falcons could bench Cousins in favor of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who the team selected No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL draft in a move that surprised just about everyone outside of the organization, as well as some inside of it -- Cousins included.