European stocks are expected to open lower Wednesday as investors await the latest monetary policy decision by the U.S. Federal Reserve.
The U.K.’s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 8 points lower at 8,191, Germany’s DAX down 48 points at 20,202, France’s CAC down 10 points at 7,353 and Italy’s FTSE MIB down 100 points at 34,258, according to data from IG.
Traders are pricing in a 95% chance of a quarter-point cut Wednesday, according to CME Group’s Fed Watch tool.
Investors will also be paying close attention to Fed policymakers’ Summary of Economic Projections and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference, seeking clues about what might happen in the months ahead.
The central bank is widely expected to temper runaway expectations of more rate cuts in the approaching year, particularly as inflation remains stubborn.
Data releases on Wednesday include the latest U.K. inflation rate. The data comes ahead of the Bank of England’s monetary policy meeting on Thursday, with markets so far pricing in only a slim chance of a final rate cut of the year.
New Delhi: Shares of Vishal Mega Mart Ltd jumped 41 per cent in debut trade on Wednesday against the issue price of Rs 78.
The stock listed at Rs 110, rallying 41 per cent from the issue price on the BSE. Later, it surged 42.24 per cent to Rs 110.95.
At the NSE, it listed at Rs 104, a jump of 33.33 per cent from the issue price.
Vishal Mega Mart’s market valuation stood at Rs 48,644.57 crore.
The Rs 8,000-crore initial public offer of Vishal Mega Mart received 27.28 times subscription on the closing day of bidding on Friday.
The initial public offer (IPO) had a price range of Rs 74-78 apiece.
The IPO of the Gurugram-based supermart major was entirely an Offer-for-Sale (OFS) of shares by promoter Kedaara Capital-led Samayat Services LLP, Samayat Services LLP, with no fresh issue of equity shares.
Vishal Mega Mart’s product range includes both in-house and third-party brands, covering three key categories — apparel, general merchandise, and fast-moving consumer goods.
As of June 30, 2024, it operates 626 Vishal Mega Mart stores across India, along with a mobile app and website.
The second annual NBA Cup is in the books, with the Milwaukee Bucks dominating a poor-shooting Oklahoma City Thunder team in the anticlimactic final, winning 97-81.
As compared to last year’s inaugural edition, briefly called the less memorable “In-Season Tournament,” this NBA Cup felt more mature as a concept. Teams understood how to navigate the point differential tiebreaker from day one and bought into the significance of the NBA Cup despite (largely unfounded) concerns about how it might hurt them down the line.
The result was a tantalizing final matchup pitting the favorites to win the Western Conference against a championship hopeful from the East, featuring two of the top contenders for MVP in Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo — who won NBA Cup MVP honors — and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Let’s relive how we got there by looking at some superlatives from the NBA Cup group and knockout stages, including my picks for the awards handed out by the league — MVP and all-NBA Cup team — as well as unofficial picks for top rookie, best coach, best game and more.
MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
One of my lasting memories from last year’s semifinals was Antetokounmpo coming to terms with his team’s loss to the Indiana Pacers in the postgame news conference. He ensured only his opponents would feel that frustration this time around.
Antetokounmpo averaged 31.7 PPG in the knockout rounds, coming within an assist of a triple-double in the semifinal win over the Hawks before recording one against the Thunder.
More than even those outstanding stats, Antetokounmpo set the tone for his team with playoff-caliber defensive intensity. His block on Trae Young in the fourth quarter against Atlanta was the most memorable play of the knockout round. Against OKC, he had three blocks and two steals. There was never a doubt about MVP during the final.
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Giannis: ‘Job’s not done’ after NBA Cup win
Giannis Antetokounmpo says the Bucks’ sights are set on bigger goals after winning the NBA Cup.
Antetokounmpo and Gilgeous-Alexander were locks, and so too was Lillard. The Bucks had the strongest 1-2 punch of the teams to reach the knockout stages, with Antetokounmpo and Lillard combining to average nearly 60 points per game in the tournament and more than 16 assists per game.
Young led Atlanta’s run to the semifinals with 24.2 PPG and 10.8 APG, more than any other player in NBA Cup play.
Choosing a representative from the semifinalists Rockets was the most difficult. No Houston player averaged more than 20 PPG and Sengun wasn’t particularly efficient in NBA Cup games overall, but his 26 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals vs. the Golden State Warriors in the quarterfinals were enough to give him the final spot.
Coach of the NBA Cup: Doc Rivers, Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee didn’t run a challenging gauntlet toward the final and benefited from the Thunder’s off shooting night there, but it’s impossible to deny Rivers’ work over the course of the Bucks’ undefeated run. Milwaukee’s defense was a mess this time a year ago, dropping to 22nd on a per-possession basis after the Pacers torched them for 128 points in the semifinals.
This time around, the Bucks were well prepared despite playing the final without wing Khris Middleton due to illness. Milwaukee’s game plan of packing the paint and forcing Oklahoma City to win the game with jumpers was the correct one, and the Bucks get plenty of credit for the Thunder’s 44% shooting inside the arc.
Shoutout also to Milwaukee assistant Darvin Ham, who led the Los Angeles Lakers to last year’s tournament victory and has yet to lose an NBA Cup game.
Biggest coaching miscue: Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat
Spoelstra is rightly regarded as one of the NBA’s top coaches, and perhaps even the best, but he wasn’t at his sharpest during overtime of the Heat’s NBA Cup opener against the Detroit Pistons. Up two with under two seconds remaining in overtime after a Tyler Herro score, Miami saw Cade Cunningham lob the ball to Jalen Duren for a dunk off an out-of-bounds situation.
Frustrated by the team’s poor execution, Spoelstra called a timeout Miami didn’t have remaining, allowing the Pistons to win on Malik Beasley‘s technical free throw.
A win would have started Miami’s cup campaign on the right foot and given the Heat a chance of advancing as either the group winner or the Eastern Conference wild card heading into the final night of group play.
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Spoelstra’s timeout blunder gifts Pistons a win in OT
After Jalen Duren’s alley-oop ties the score, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra calls a timeout without any left, allowing the Pistons to take the lead on a technical foul free throw.
A truly amazing stat: entering Tuesday’s final, all first-year players had combined to score 14 total points in six knockout-stage games. No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher started all six games as the Hawks advanced to the semifinals, but shot 2-of-19 from 3-point range and averaged 6.3 PPG. So the Rookie of the Cup race looked a lot like the real one did prior to McCain’s untimely knee injury.
He averaged 24.8 points in four NBA Cup group games, making 18 3-pointers at a 51% clip. That edged Dalton Knecht of the Los Angeles Lakers, who also made 18 3s (shooting 54.5%) but wasn’t quite as prolific inside the arc, averaging 19.5 PPG.
Most improved team: Atlanta Hawks
Oklahoma City made the biggest jump in terms of results after going 1-3 in last year’s edition, but the Thunder actually had a plus-24 differential by virtue of a blowout win and three close losses.
Atlanta works on a couple of levels, both the in-season improvement as detailed above and year over year. In the 2023 tournament, the Hawks went 1-3 with their only win over the lowly Pistons and were outscored by 32 points — worst of any team that reached this season’s knockout stages, let alone the semifinals.
Group C in the East featured the conference’s top two teams this season, Cleveland and the Boston Celtics, yet the Hawks emerged as unlikely winners. The Celtics at least finished second and would have advanced as the East’s wild card had the Magic defeated the Knicks on the last night of group play.
The Cavaliers were long eliminated by then, having lost both to Atlanta and in a showdown in Boston to finish at 2-2. The NBA Cup looked like a golden opportunity for Cleveland to hang a rare banner. Instead, the Cavaliers will have to hope their strong start translates into a deep playoff run next spring.
The first night of NBA Cup play produced the most memorable matchup: Klay Thompson returning to the Bay Area to face the Warriors for the first time since leaving for the Mavericks via sign-and-trade this summer.
Both player and team handled the emotional reunion (complete with sailboat captain hats) perfectly, with Thompson making six 3-pointers and scoring 22 points. The finish lived up to the hype too, with Stephen Curry scoring the final 12 points for Golden State, which rallied from a 114-108 deficit with 3:10 to play to win a game that wasn’t decided until Luka Doncic missed a 3-pointer to tie in the closing seconds.
Both teams advanced to the knockout stages, but the outcome gave Dallas a tougher matchup at Oklahoma City in a quarterfinals loss.
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Klay Thompson walks in to ovation from Warriors employees
Before playing Golden State, Klay Thompson returns to Chase Center to an ovation from Warriors employees.
Most disappointing injury:Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
The Magic were one of the best stories of group play, overcoming the absence of All-Star Paolo Banchero to win their first three games in convincing fashion and claiming the East wild card after losing at Madison Square Garden.
Wagner was arguably the MVP of the group stage, having averaged 30.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.5 steals while stepping into Banchero’s role as go-to guy on offense. Alas, by the time Orlando got to Milwaukee for the quarterfinals, Wagner had joined Banchero on the sidelines after suffering an identical injury (an oblique tear) the previous weekend.
Without Wagner, the Magic put up a good fight but lost 114-109, ending the hopes of one of eight active franchises without an NBA championship laying claim to the NBA Cup.
Prince Andrew hit with new controversy amid ‘spy scandal’
Prince Andrew appears to have a new setback as new allegations surface against the embattled royal.
The Duke of York, who was already in a back and forth with his brother king Charles over the Royal Lodge, is currently under immense scrutiny following the spy scandal.
Now, new accusations against the disgraced royal have emerged, which appear in line with his previous scandal leading Andrew to lose his titles and patronages.
A woman, who is now a 40-year-old- mother, recounted her interaction she had with Prince Andrew when she was just 24 in the early 2000s.
“He wouldn’t leave me alone,” a woman told The Sun about her encounter with Andrew. “As soon as he saw me, he darted over for a chat. I was young, blonde, slim and attractive.”
“He seemed a lot more inclined to speak to me than the middle-aged female Managing Director,” she continued. “I was wearing a low-cut top, but had a jacket on so wasn’t dressed outrageously. I must have been listening to my MD talk and was looking her way, so hadn’t noticed him staring.”
The woman claimed that the Duke couldn’t stop leering at her, especially her chest, and had no interest in learning about the business he was visiting for. “It was a bit creepy,” the woman remarked.
Andrew was also involved in sex scandal, in which he was accused of sexually assaulting underage women. He was also under fire for having friendship with paedophile Jeffery Epstein. The Duke ultimately forced out of his senior working royal position and stripped off his royal titles.
At which, the woman commented, “When it all came out, it made my tummy turn.”
The news comes as King Charles was briefed about the spy scandal by MI5. The monarch is already “exasperated” with his brother over the national security threat that his ties with an alleged spy has put them in.
Reportedly, Andrew was forced to skip the upcoming Christmas celebrations at Sandringham. It remains to be seen what the next set to steps will be taken against the Duke after the slew of blunders.
Sophie Henson says she wishes the guidance had been introduced in her case earlier this year
WARNING: This article contains description of crimes which some readers may find upsetting
“It shouldn’t be disregarded as a small crime, I thought I’d die when it happened to me.”
The words of Sophie Henson, 24, who said she felt reassured to see “strangulation taken seriously” now by the justice system.
She was strangled by her ex-partner when she was 36 weeks pregnant and in a remote location away from her house.
She and other survivors of strangulation have welcomed new guidance on punishing offenders after the Sentencing Council – which promotes transparency and consistency – issued the first recommendations for judges and magistrates in Wales and England.
Sophie Henson
Sophie took a photo of bruises on her neck after being strangled in 2023
Sophie from Bridgend, said: “I felt like a dead fish, my mouth was open, my body was so limp.”
Her ex-partner Zac Pennell was convicted of both coercive control and intentional strangulation in January, with a sentence of 21 months.
“It was heartbreaking. I felt it was such a low sentence for how dangerous it is.”
“I think the new guidance will help people seek justice, that it’ll be taken seriously and it’s a positive step,” she added.
She described strangulation as an “up close and personal attack” which can and does take lives.
Until now there was no guidance for judges on the type of sentences to issue for those found guilty of strangulation or suffocation
The new recommendations offer guidance on culpability and length of sentences
It includes detail or aggravating factors increasing seriousness such as the presence of children, or if the victim is pregnant at the time of the offence
It also highlights factors reducing seriousness including, remorse, mental disorder or learning disability
The new guidelines come into effect on 1 January.
BBC news
Rachel Williams urges anyone who experiences non-fatal strangulation to seek medical help.
Rachel Williams, a domestic abuse survivor and campaigner who was instrumental in introducing the offences into law, was shot by her ex-husband in 2011 and left with life-changing injuries.
The offences were created by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and came into force on 7 June 2022.
However, these offences are not limited to domestic abuse situations.
“Six weeks before the shooting, I was strangled so furiously that’s what made me decide to leave the relationship,” said Rachel.
“It woke my kids up from the bedroom upstairs and one of them said they thought they could hear a pig squealing because of the noise I was making,” she added.
She said the guidelines were long overdue for victims and survivors.
“The criminal justice system at the moment is on the floor because we’re constantly seeing perpetrators not held accountable for their actions.”
“Hopefully this will mean custodial sentences, and send out the message that this is severe, and you will be severely punished,” she added.
She said the change could encourage more victims to report attacks to police and other services.
“Time will tell: we’re fed up of lip service – there needs to be action. If we see more perpetrators of non-fatal strangulation going to court, then we will have more faith in that.”
Johanna Robinson, who is on the Sentencing Council, says there can be harm in seconds when being strangled
Johanna Robinson, a member of the Sentencing Council, called the new guidelines “a really important recognition of the harm that occurs within strangulation and suffocation”.
“The physical harm signs can be quite limited, but it can lead to strokes, brain injury and fatalities,” she said.
“I think because of the lack of physical signs it can make people underestimate how often it happens.”
Ms Robinson, who is also the national adviser to the Welsh government on violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence, said recognising the harm both physically and psychologically was key for the guidance.
“It also encourages judges to look for signs of planning and intent to cause serious harm, and question if there’s a different charge of say attempted murder,” she said.
She said she understood frustrations in the wait behind the introduction of the guidelines. But there were processes such as consultation with the public and experts, along with work in the courts.
“I hope this sends a strong message and in turn a prevention. However, public campaigning and education to help people understand the risks is also key.”
Prof Catherine White, medical director at the Institute For Addressing Strangulation, said: “We are pleased to have had the opportunity to feed into the guideline development.”
“We hope that this will help dispel common misconceptions around this act, such as a tendency to overestimate the likelihood of visible external injury, a lack of understanding as to the extent of potential internal injury resulting from strangulation, and a lack of appreciation as to the inherent harm done by the act of strangulation regardless of evidence of physical injury.”
If you have been affected by any issues raised in this article, help and support can be found at BBC Action Line.
MobiKwik’s shares soared 85% on their trading debut on Wednesday, rising above Rs 500 on the BSE, boosting the company’s valuation to around Rs 40 billion. The stock opened at Rs 440, a sharp rise from its IPO price of Rs 279. The company’s $67 million IPO garnered major interest, with subscriptions exceeding available shares by 120 times. This made it one of the most heavily oversubscribed offerings in recent months. MobiKwik’s success comes amid rapid growth in the digital payments market, which industry experts project will expand from transaction values of 265 trillion rupees in 2023-24 to 593 trillion rupees by 2028-29, according to PwC. With established players like Paytm, PhonePe, and Google Pay leading the sector, MobiKwik’s impressive debut signals its growing prominence in this competitive landscape. The fintech boom aligns with a broader surge in IPO activity in India. Over 300 companies have raised $17.5 billion in funding this year, more than doubling the capital raised during the same period in 2023. Despite MobiKwik’s stellar performance, the broader Indian market faced headwinds on Wednesday. Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade, weighed down by foreign fund outflows and cautious sentiment ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision. The Sensex dipped 149.31 points to 80,535.14, while the Nifty fell 62.9 points to 24,273.10. Major laggards included Tata Motors, Power Grid, and Adani Ports, while Reliance Industries and HCL Technologies were among the gainers. Market analysts highlighted concerns over foreign institutional investor (FII) activity, with FIIs selling equities worth Rs 6,409.86 crore on Tuesday.
Towana Looney, 53, who received a gene-edited pig kidney undergoes medical testing at NYU Langone Health on December 11, 2024 in New York. — AFP
WASHINGTON: Towana Looney donated a kidney to her mother in 1999 only for the remaining one to fail years later due to pregnancy complications.
Now, the 53-year-old from Alabama has become the latest recipient of a gene-edited pig kidney — and is currently the only living person in the world with an animal organ transplant, New York’s NYU Langone hospital announced Tuesday.
“I’m overjoyed, I’m blessed to have received this gift, this second chance at life,” Looney said during a press conference, held three weeks after the procedure.
Xenotransplantation, transplanting organs from one species to another, has long been a tantalising yet elusive scientific goal. Early experiments on primates faltered, but recent advances in gene editing and immune system management have brought the dream closer to reality.
Pigs have emerged as the ideal donors: they grow quickly, produce large litters and are already part of the human food supply.
Advocates hope this approach can help address the severe organ shortage in the United States, where more than 100,000 people are waiting for transplants, including over 90,000 in need of kidneys.
Looney had been living with dialysis since December 2016 — eight gruelling years. High blood pressure caused by preeclampsia had taken its toll, leaving her with chronic kidney disease.
Despite receiving priority on transplant waiting lists as a living donor, her search for a compatible kidney was a frustrating dead end. Her unusually high levels of harmful antibodies made rejection almost inevitable, and as her body lost viable blood vessels to support dialysis, her health declined.
Out of options, Looney applied to join a clinical trial for pig kidney transplants, and finally underwent the seven-hour surgery on November 25.
Asked how she felt afterward, Looney’s joy was infectious. “I’m full of energy, I’ve got an appetite… and of course, I can go to the bathroom. I haven’t been going in eight years!” she laughed, adding that she plans to celebrate at Disney World.
Jayme Locke, a surgeon on the transplant team, described the results with awe. “The kidney functioned essentially exactly like a kidney from a living donor,” she said, adding that Looney’s husband saw a rosiness in her cheeks for the first time in years.
Kate Middleton releases new video after Harry, Meghan send Christmas card
Kate Middleton, who pulled off her successful Christmas carol service for the fourth year despite her cancer battle this year, had a special message to share with the public.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, Prince Louis, 6 – are set to be joined by the royal family at Sandringham for their annual festive celebrations.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who were snubbed for an invite once again at the royal reunion, released their Christmas card, featuring a delightful photo of their children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.
Just a day after the card was releases, Kate shared a video from her carol concert, which was a clip of Gregory Porter’s at the event.
“It was an honour to perform at The Princess of Wales’ 2024 Together at Christmas carol service,” the caption read alongside the video Porter shared with the Waleses. “You can join us by watching Together at Christmas on @itv @itvxofficial at 19.30pm this Christmas Eve.”
It continued, “This year’s carol service at Westminster Abbey is all about love and empathy, and how much we need each other. It was such a special evening.
Thank you for having me @princeandprincessofwales.”
According to reports, Harry and Meghan have a separate card made to send out to close friends and family. It was previously reported that Prince Harry is still in contact with his sister-in-law as she is playing the role of a peacemaker between him and the family.
However, it remains to be seen if Kate will also receive a card from the Sussexes.
Honda and Nissan are understood to have held exploratory talks about a potential merger to help them compete against electric vehicle (EV) makers, particularly in China.
In March, the two Japanese car makers agreed to explore a strategic partnership for EVs.
The firms responded to the BBC with identical statements, which said: “As announced in March of this year, Honda and Nissan are exploring various possibilities for future collaboration, leveraging each other’s strengths.”
It comes as many car brands grapple with growing competition as the industry shifts from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric, with production in China booming.
Honda and Nissan have not denied the story, which was first reported by Japanese business newspaper the Nikkei, but said it was “not something that has been announced by either company”.
The discussions are understood to be in the early stages and there is no guarantee that a deal will be agreed.
“If there are any updates, we will inform our stakeholders at the appropriate time,” they added.
The two companies are expected to officially confirm that they have held the talks as early as next week, according to Japanese TV channel TBS.
A potential merger between Japan’s number two and number three car manufacturers could be complicated for several reasons.
Any deal is likely to come under intense political scrutiny in Japan as it may lead to major job cuts. Nissan is also likely to be faced with unwinding its alliance with French vehicle manufacturer Renault.
Honda and Nissan agreed in March to cooperate in their EV businesses, and in August deepened their ties, agreeing to work together on batteries and other technology.
The Nikkei also reported that Nissan and Honda may eventually bring Mitsubishi into any potential partnership. Nissan is Mitsubishi’s biggest shareholder.
Nissan shares traded more than 20% higher in Tokyo following the reports. Honda shares fell about 2%, while Mitsubishi’s jumped 13%.
“The thought that some of these smaller players can survive and thrive is getting more challenging, especially when you add on the complexity of all the additional Chinese manufacturers who have come in and are competing quite strongly,” said Edmunds analyst Jessica Caldwell.
“It’s just sort of necessary to survive, not only to survive, but also just to afford the future.”
Honda and Nissan have been losing market share in China, which accounted for almost 70% of global EV sales in November.
The two brands had combined global sales of 7.4 million vehicles in 2023, but are struggling to compete with cheaper EV makers such as BYD, which has seen its quarterly revenues soar, beating Tesla’s for the first time in October.
Jesper Koll, from Japanese online trading platform operator Monex Group, questioned whether a merger could make the companies more competitive.
“Is this really just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic in the sense that neither Honda nor Nissan really have any products or any technologies that global consumers want?”
“From that perspective, it’s a nice rescue but it’s not creating a new national champion.”
Previously a college football reporter for CBSSports.com
University of Florida graduate
Dec 17, 2024, 10:01 PM ET
Kirk Cousins did not view it as a short-term move. The quarterback said he signed with the Atlanta Falcons on March 11 not only because of the $100 million in guarantees over four years, but because it was a place where he wanted to retire.
His wife, Julie, is from Georgia, and her family, who lives in the area, are diehard Falcons fans.
But when Atlanta surprisingly drafted Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall draft pick on April 25, it raised questions about Cousins’ future.
After Tuesday, that future has arrived sooner than expected.
The Falcons named Penix the starter one day after Cousins added to his league-leading interception total of 16. The Falcons beat the Las Vegas Raiders 15-9 on Sunday to end a four-game skid, but it was hardly the type of performance that silenced the growing speculation a quarterback change was imminent. Cousins was 11 of 17 for 112 yards with a TD and the pick. His 9.0 QBR was the second lowest in the league in Week 15, better than the 3.6 by Cleveland Browns QB Jameis Winston (also benched Tuesday).
In comes Penix, the former Washington star who has an exceptional arm and had a 91.3 QBR last year on deep routes at the college level.
Here are five key questions facing Cousins, Penix and the Falcons, who have a 29% chance to make the playoffs, according to FPI.
Why make the move now?
Marc Raimondi: Falcons coach Raheem Morris said in the preseason that the time to bench a quarterback is when he can no longer win games. During Atlanta’s 6-3 start, Cousins ranked fourth in passing yards (2,328) and was tied for fourth in passing touchdowns with 17. He was one of eight players with multiple games of four passing touchdowns this season.
Then the wheels came off.
From Weeks 10-14, Cousins became the first player since Brett Favre in 2005 to throw at least eight interceptions without a passing touchdown in a four-game span.
On Sunday, it was clear the coaching staff didn’t trust him. For the first time in his career, Cousins didn’t throw a pass on first down in the first half and had only 17 pass attempts total.
What does the Falcons’ remaining schedule look like and what are their playoff chances?
Raimondi: Penix will get his first regular-season start against the 2-12 New York Giants on Sunday at home (1 p.m., ET, Fox). The Falcons are 8-point favorites.
After that, the Falcons visit the Washington Commanders for a game flexed to “Sunday Night Football.”
Atlanta finishes up at home against the Carolina Panthers. Those are three winnable games and two the Falcons should win. So, maybe Penix saves the season. If not, he still gets much-needed reps going into 2025.
What will the reaction be in the locker room?
Raimondi: Even-keeled. If Cousins remained the starter, his teammates would have fought for him. Now they’ll ride with Penix, who has been supportive and a class act since his arrival.
Penix was given the locker next to that of safety Jessie Bates III, which was no accident. Bates is one of the team leaders and among the most respected players in the NFL. He has helped take Penix under his wing and kept him motivated for when the team would need him.
How did Penix look in preseason and how can he spark the offense?
Raimondi: Penix played one game, going 9-of-16 for 104 yards without a touchdown or interception against the Miami Dolphins. The Falcons didn’t play him in their other two preseason games with Morris saying they had seen enough of him.
During training camp, Penix was inconsistent at times, which isn’t surprising for a rookie. But he also made some throws that made one understand why the Falcons were high enough on him to take him at No. 8. The arm talent is undeniable.
Cousins has not been able to throw the deep ball and seems to have lost velocity.
What does this mean for Cousins’ future in Atlanta?
Jeremy Fowler: It’s effectively over. Hard to see a scenario in which the team turns to Cousins in 2025. The Falcons made clear in their statement that Penix is the quarterback “moving forward.” Translation: We aren’t looking back.
That leaves the player and team weighing their options. Cousins’ contract is tradeable. Paying him $62.5 million in guarantees for 14 starts is painful, but his only guarantee on the books for next year is his $27.5 million base salary. Capable veteran quarterbacks will have suitors.
At least five teams currently scheduled to draft in the top 10 in April need quarterback help, only the supply won’t meet the demand in a class considered weaker at the position. Atlanta, low on leverage because of the benching, could offer to cover some of the salary to facilitate a deal. Though Cousins’ market would not be as robust as younger, more productive options such as Sam Darnold, perhaps Cousins can sell improved mobility to potential landing spots in his second season after his Achilles tear. And it takes only one team to believe in his remaining skill set. Cousins has been chosen for the Pro Bowl four times, as recently as 2022.
