Kirk Cousins says Falcons' appeal was long-term vision for him - ESPN

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Wearing a pale gray suit with a red tie and black sneakers, Kirk Cousins stood at the podium Wednesday evening explaining and reinforcing what he was saying, all while settling into his new home.

His sort-of new home. The Atlanta metropolitan area has been a place of familiarity for the new Atlanta Falcons quarterback and his family for a long time. His wife, Julie, grew up here. He has spent parts of offseasons in his father-in-law's basement in Johns Creek, Georgia.

So when the chance to come to Atlanta became available — and it matched with a strong football commitment in him — he chose to take it. Soon after signing a four-year contract worth up to $180 million, he explained it was the buy-in from Atlanta which eventually sold him on leaving Minnesota.

«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 knows he has to win. Yet before he can really think much about winning, he has to get healthy. Cousins continues to recover from a torn right Achilles suffered last 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 to help him get through the first few months following the surgery.

Saying he's «feeling great,» Cousins set a goal of being full speed at practice by the end of Atlanta's June mandatory minicamp, but also knows not to rush his return. Right now,