🏈 The Touchdown Collective: We nearly had a Bat-mobile QB
The Dark Knight, Kirk Cousins and James Cook all feature to keep you ahead of the game, one play at a time
Today’s Touchdown Collective covers Kirk Cousins’ reflections on his move to Atlanta, Joe Burrow’s abandoned Batmobile purchase in Press Coverage, and relationships and disagreements in Get to the Post.. And check out my new section Stats more like it for a fun trivia question.
📰 Press Coverage
Atlanta Falcons
Kirk Cousins says he was ‘misled’ when he quit the Vikings for the Falcons as Atlanta took Michael Penix Jr with the No.8 overall pick in the 2024 Draft.
Speaking on Netflix's “Quarterback” series, Cousins opened up about his feelings around the Penix pick, along with what it would have meant to know about that possibility before it happened.
“I ended up signing with Atlanta and was pretty excited about the chance to get down there and start fresh. And then, I was pretty surprised when the NFL draft happened,” Cousins said. “I wasn’t expecting us to take a quarterback so high. At the time, it felt like I had been a little bit misled, or certainly if I had the information around free agency, it certainly would’ve affected my decision.
“I had no reason to leave Minnesota with how much we loved it there if both teams are going to be drafting a quarterback that high. But I’ve also learned in 12 years in this league that you’re not entitled to anything. It’s all about being able to earn your spot and prove yourself.”
Buffalo Bills
Running back James Cook is edging closer to a new deal, report USA TODAY Sports, citing a source “familiar with the situation”.
Pro Bowler Cook is in the final year of his rookie deal and with Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry signing big extensions this year, the market has been raised since Cook’s comments earlier in 2025 when he said he was looking for $15m a season.
The market has also been impacted by Las Vegas taking Ashton Jeanty sixth overall in this year’s Draft, giving him $35.89m guaranteed and an average of just shy of $9m.
“Everything is a business, so no hard feelings,” Cook said last month. “Everything gonna work how it's supposed to work.”
Cincinnati Bengals
Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d write…
Joe Burrow cancelled his purchase of a $2.9m Batmobile after his home was burgled.
Yeah, I know.
The Bengals QB was set to buy the vehicle from Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy – but backed out due to more pressing concerns.
On the new Netflix documentary “Quarterback”, Burrow, asked if the break in at his home was the deciding factor to cancel the purchase, replied: “Yeah. Yeah that was. I didn’t end up getting the Batmobile because, you know, I just had other things I wanted to deal with at that point.”
Every day’s a school day.
Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes is only looking forward as he bids to put last season’s Super Bowl horror show well and truly behind him.
The Chiefs QB, who has been in regular contact with Tom Brady this off-season, is looking to bounce back in style, but wants to do it his way.
Speaking to Kay Adams on “Up and Adams”, Mahomes, noting the praise from Brady about his career, said: “I think [legacy is] always in the back of your mind, even from the beginning of my career. But at the end of the day, it’s about taking it a day at a time...That’s something that I’ve been conscious of – of knowing how blessed I am to be in Kansas City, to have all these great players around me.
“And having Tom – a guy like that – say that, it just motivates me even more.
“He always talks about being yourself. He thinks that – which I truly believe, too – is that guys can spot when you’re not authentic, and you’re not putting in the work. That’s something that he did every single day. That’s why guys respected him so much.
"That’s all I’m going to do for the rest of my career.”
Cleveland Browns
Two former state officials have challenged the constitutionality of a newly passed plan to use $1.7billion from the state’s unclaimed property fund to help build a new Cleveland Browns stadium, among other projects, reports Cleveland.com. $600m of that figure is to be used to fund 25 per cent of the Browns’ stadium cost.
The suit argues that seizing unclaimed funds after 10 years - from sources such as insurance policies, dormant bank accounts and safe deposit boxes - violates the US Constitution’s due process guarantees
Senate Republicans, who authored the unclaimed-funds proposal, have defended its constitutionality, calling it a creative solution.
Dallas and Houston
Other professional sports teams in Texas have signed up to help in the wake of the devastating floods which have now killed over 100 people.
Joining the Cowboys and Texans are MLB’s Houston Astros, who announced they are contributing $1million, while the Houston Rockets are teaming up with the state’s other NBA teams — Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs — as well as the NBA and NBA Players Association for a $2m donation.
As I reported earlier in the week, the Cowboys and Texans came together with the NFL Foundation to give $1.5million towards the relief efforts.
Houston Texans
Defensive end Casey Toohill says there is no challenge quite like facing Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.
The former Eagles and Commanders rusher played for the Bills last season before a switch to the Texans.
And he insists playing against people with skills like Allen is tough, not only because of what he can do on the field, but because he’s so cool as well.
“Josh Allen is very tough to gameplan for,” Toohill told Mirror US. “I mean he can do everything. And he’s a cool dude, which sucks now that I know him pretty well. Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, any of these guys that can use their legs to create plays, man, they are just tough for us to prepare for.
“They really have a lot going on and they can hurt you in multiple ways. So probably those three, Allen, Jackson and Mahomes, I would say [are the hardest to gameplan for]. The running quarterbacks, the top few quarterbacks in the NFL, they’re just difficult to deal with.”
Houston’s 2025 schedule – Week Five: at Baltimore
Week 12: v Buffalo
Week 14: at Kansas
YIKES.
Carolina Panthers
International Player Pathway player Maz Mwansa grew up in Peterborough in the UK and is now out living his American Dream.
The outside linebacker has been playing football for just a few months and admits his hopes of playing in the NFL have now turned “from becoming a side quest, it’s now the main thing”.
The 21-year-old ran a 4.45-second 40 at a CFL combine and from there made it to the IPP.
Now a spot on the Panthers’ roster beckons and Mwansa added: “I’ve just got to keep the main thing the main thing. I really enjoy the sport, and the Carolina Panthers have given me an opportunity to change my life.
“So I just want to continue doing that and help my family, and get one per cent better every day.
“I literally came here with a suitcase and a dream. And it was four months of work and sometimes you’re looking at your bank account thinking, ‘What?’
“But you just have to keep going and just know that with the work you put in. Having the faith is all good, but faith without work is dead, and you just know that with the work you’ve put in, and you’ve been trying.
“I know that God put something on my heart, which may seem impossible to achieve. But you keep going.”
🔁 Last week’s poll question: Mac Jones: starter? Your answer: Yes (67%).
🔁 Last week’s most clicked: The NFL supplemental draft won’t be held this year, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
↗ Get to the Post
Hovering or flying, what do we reckon?
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GOATS by decade…
Dallas has announced the death of Pettis Norman, former tight end and civil rights advocate.
📈 Stats more like it
Which NFL QB lost the most yards via sack for his team in 2024? Unsurprisingly, he was also sacked the most times in the league last season.
The answer will be in Friday’s newsletter, but feel free to drop me a line in the meantime with your guess here.
📩 Who am I? I’m Michael Ham, the Daily Star Sunday and Sunday Express Sports Editor – and an avid NFL fan. I have almost 20 years of experience in sports news journalism and I’m the writer behind The Touchdown Collective.
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