Michigan
Michigan State Legend Finds Himself at NFL Crossroads
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins made his return to Minnesota on Sunday, and it wasn’t pretty.
The Michigan State Spartans legend went 23-for-37 with 344 yards and a couple of interceptions in a 42-21 loss to this former Vikings squad, the latest in a series of rough performances from Cousins.
Cousins has now gone five straight games without throwing a touchdown pass and has amassed seven picks throughout that span.
It’s unquestionably the worst stretch of Cousins’ career, and it has left the 36-year-old at a crossroads.
Remember: the Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the NFL Draft last April, so Cousins’ job is not necessarily safe.
Yes, Atlanta signed Cousins to a massive $180 million contract that featured $100 million in guaranteed money back in March, but the fact that the Falcons also took Penix indicated that they weren’t entirely sold on the aging Cousins, especially coming off of a torn Achilles.
Cousins is one of the nicest guys in this league. It’s impossible not to root for him. And you know what? Back in Weeks 8 and 9, it was looking like vintage Cousins had returned, as he totaled seven passing touchdowns an no interceptions in back-to-back wins.
But perhaps Father Time is beginning to win the war with Cousins, who was actually in the middle of what appeared to be a career year in Minnesota last season before injuring his Achilles halfway through.
The Falcons have now lost five games in a row, and now, many are calling for Cousins to be benched. Sadly, it would make sense for Atlanta, as the Michigan State product is not exactly helping the Falcons win at this point.
Actually, Atlanta fell out of first place in the NFC South on Sunday, so it may not have much to lose by giving Penix a shot.
The question is whether or not the Falcons would be so willing to make a change given Cousins’ contract, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
If this really is the end of the road for Cousins, then what a terrific — and underrated — career it has been for the Spartans legend.
But maybe, just maybe, Captain Kirk still has another run left in the tank.
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Dusty May is leaving Michigan for the Dallas Mavericks. What now?
Free Press sports writer Tony Garcia breaks down the “shocking” news of Michigan basketball coach Dusty May leaving for the NBA.
At the University of Michigan’s board of regents meeting on Thursday, June 25, interim president Domenico Grasso addressed the departure of former Michigan basketball coach Dusty May, calling the move a “bellwether” for college athletics.
May, who had reportedly agreed in principle to a contract extension with the Wolverines but had yet to sign it, left the program on Monday, June 22. One day later, he was in Brooklyn for the NBA Draft where his Dallas Mavericks selected his former player, Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr., with the No. 9 overall pick.
“Our current system is in dire need of clarity and equitable reform,” Grasso said at the regents meeting. “Coach May told me that among his reasons for leaving were uncertainties and pressures involving the transfer portal and NIL support for student-athletes.
“He and I agree that the future of college sports is headed in the wrong direction.”
While Grasso did say the new “Protect College Sports Act” could provide “greater stability, clearer national standards and more consistent rules” to college athletics, he also said it has “deeply concerning provisions.”
“Rather than looking to conferences such as the Big Ten as models of athletic and academic excellence, it imposes restrictions that disproportionately affect the institution,” he said. “Among the most troubling provisions are targeted limits on conference expansion and realignment, as well as harmful restrictions on student athletes’ ability to benefit from additional NIL opportunities. These measures will reduce universities and conferences’ flexibility to adapt to changing conditions for student innovative opportunities.
“We want what’s best for the Big Ten and for Michigan. We are not going to sacrifice competitive advantage that we built for more than a century. We stand ready to work with legislators on a bill that will establish a system in which every university can compete and thrive for generations to come.”
May spent just two years in Ann Arbor but made a lasting mark on the program. He went 64-13 during his time, won the 2024-25 Big Ten Tournament championship, the 2025-26 Big Ten championship and finished his time in Ann Arbor defeating UConn, 69-63, to win the national championship on Monday, April 6.
“When my family and I came to Ann Arbor two years ago, we hoped we could help bring Michigan basketball back to where it belongs,” May said in a goodbye statement to U-M. “This wasn’t an easy decision. An opportunity came along that was right for my family and something I felt I needed to pursue, but that doesn’t change how much these last two years have meant to us.
“Thank you for trusting us, believing in us and making these last two years so much fun. It was an honor to coach at Michigan and wear the Block M.”
On Tuesday, June 23, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel officially announced assistant basketball coach Mike Boynton Jr. would be appointed as interim head coach.
That set a clock for the transfer portal to open for U-M players on Friday, July 24, 31 days after Boynton’s appointment as interim.
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
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