When the Atlanta Falcons were considering hiring Bill Belichick as head coach, Robert Kraft reportedly spoke to Arthur Blank with "a stark assessment of Belichick's character," two sources tell ESPN.

"Robert called Arthur to warn him not to trust Bill," said a source.

Multiple sources said that Kraft spoke with "some candor" to Blank about Belichick, though the sources declined to elaborate.

One source close to Belichick said Kraft "was a big part" of why the Falcons passed on hiring him.

"Blank likes coaches who feel part of a family," a Falcons source said, "and it wasn't going to be that way with Bill."

The Atlanta Falcons have signed cornerback Kevin King, who hasn't played in an NFL game since 2021.

King missed the 2022 season due to personal reasons and missed the 2023 season after tearing his Achilles tendon during an offseason workout. 

A former second-round pick, King played five seasons with the Green Bay Packers, the team that drafted him in 2017. 

If Kirk Cousins has his way, he'll finish his career with the Atlanta Falcons.

In the wake of signing a $180 million contract with the Falcons in free agency, Cousins compared the team to the mid-2000s Miami Heat, telling Shaquille O'Neal he envisions a "world championship" finish.

"I want this to be my final stop," he said on O'Neal's "The Big" podcast. "I don't wanna do the deal -- no offense, but I don't wanna go play for the Suns and Celtics at the end. I wanna finish with the Heat, if you will, and be done."

The Heat notably won the NBA Finals while O'Neal starred alongside Dwyane Wade in 2006. O'Neal went on to finish his Hall of Fame basketball career with three other teams, however, after a breakup with the Heat.

Taylor Heinicke is taking a pay cut to remain with the Atlanta Falcons.

The quarterback took a pay cut recently from an expected $5 million base salary in 2024 to $1.21 million. His $1.32 million roster bonus, which was due just after the league year began last month, was instead classified as a signing bonus.

The reduction in the deal lowers Heinicke's cap number from $8.96 million to $4.53 million -- including a cash value of $2.53 million. If the Falcons were to release him at this point, he would cost $3.32 million in dead money with only a cap savings of $1.21 million.

Justin Fields had four teams on his radar when it became apparent that the Chicago Bears would trade him.

Fields landed with one of those teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the quarterback also had interested in joining the Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders and Minnesota Vikings.

Arthur Blank says he doesn't believe the Atlanta Falcons committed tampering during their pursuit of Kirk Cousins, as the NFL investigates the issue.

"The tampering deal, we obviously don't believe we tampered, and we shared all the information with the league," Blank said. "And they'll review the process and the facts and they are in the middle of doing that, and whatever the result is, we'll deal with it."

The Falcons officially signed Cousins to a four-year deal worth up to $180 million on the first day of official free agency, two days after his agent, Mike McCartney, announced on social media that Cousins and Atlanta had agreed to terms.

During Cousins' introductory news conference, he indicated he had spoken with the team's head trainer before 4 p.m. on March 13, when the new league year was set to open.

Teams can speak with agents during the legal negotiating window from noon ET on March 11 until the start of the new year, but cannot speak with players directly unless the player does not have an agent and is his own representation.

The Arizona Cardinals have acquired Desmond Ridder from the Atlanta Falcons for Rondale Moore.

Ridder was a third round pick by the Falcons in 2022 and started 17 games. Ridder will backup Kyler Murray.

The Falcons acquired Kirk Cousins this offseason. 

Kirk Cousins said Wednesday that part of the reason he signed with the Atlanta Falcons was the team's long-term vision for the quarterback.

His wife, Julie, grew up near Atlanta. Cousins has spent parts of offseasons in his father-in-law's basement in Johns Creek, Georgia.

"I think in Minnesota it was trending over the last couple offseasons to being somewhat year-to-year," Cousins said. "And as we talked with Atlanta, it felt like this was a place where, if I play at the level I expect to play, that I can retire a Falcon.

"And that was something that really excited me, and that's certainly the goal and you gotta earn the right to do that."

Cousins continues to recover from a torn right Achilles suffered in October, the first surgery of the 35-year-old's life. He called the rehab "a really positive process" and credited the Vikings training staff and his own trainers for helping him get through the first few months following surgery.

The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to sign Darnell Mooney to a three-year, $39 million deal with $26 million guaranteed. 

In 15 games last season, Mooney caught 31 balls for 414 yards and one touchdowns. Mooney caught 81 balls for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns in 2021.

The Atlanta Falcons have finally solved their franchise quarterback issues.

The club agreed to terms on a four-year deal with former Minnesota Vikings free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins on Monday according to his agent, Mike McCartney.

A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Cousins' deal is worth $180 million ($45 million per season), including $100 million guaranteed.