In the high-stakes world of professional football, the quarterback room is often seen as a sacred space – a place where signal-callers huddle to dissect game film, memorize playbooks, and perfect their craft. But in the Atlanta Falcons’ facility, the QB room whiteboard features a list that has nothing to do with X’s and O’s.
Conspiracy Theories Captivate Falcons QBs
According to sources close to the team, starting quarterback Kirk Cousins and quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates have compiled an extensive list of conspiracy theories that they discuss with backups Michael Penix Jr. and Nathan Peterman during breaks from football-related activities. The ever-growing list, which is reportedly “stacked up” and “pretty heavy,” serves as a way for the group to decompress and connect away from the gridiron.
“Some of the theories have no legs, but they’re funny because people bring them up and try to make them work,” Cousins revealed in an exclusive interview. “Every now and then we take a break after watching film, grab some trail mix, and spend a couple minutes talking about the latest conspiracy theory – what we think about it and why we don’t think it’s real. Then we’re back to ball.”
From Moon Landings to McDonald’s McFlurries
The topics covered on the Falcons’ conspiracy theory whiteboard run the gamut from well-known subjects like the JFK assassination and the Apollo moon landings to more obscure matters such as the true origins of the Denver International Airport and the secrets lurking beneath Georgia’s Lake Lanier.
Penix found particular amusement in the theory that some McDonald’s employees deliberately claim the McFlurry machine is broken to avoid making the dessert or cleaning the equipment at night. “I’m not going to say I don’t believe in conspiracy theories,” Penix admitted, “but I just don’t fall too deep into that rabbit hole.”
Rookie Initiation: Conspiracy Theory PowerPoints
The quarterback room’s fascination with conspiracy theories even extended to rookie initiations during training camp. Veterans tasked first-year players with delivering PowerPoint presentations on various conspiracy topics. Undrafted rookie tight end Austin Stogner reportedly impressed with his presentation on the Egyptian pyramids and the moon landing.
“He never said why we did or didn’t believe it. It was more like, ‘Here are the facts, here’s what other people said, leave it up to you to think about it,'” recalled Taylor Heinicke, who has since been traded to the Los Angeles Chargers. “It was a good thing for the team, talking about these theories. It was fun.”
A Balancing Act: Football Focus and Mental Breaks
While the conspiracy theory discussions provide a lighthearted respite from the intensity of game preparation, Cousins emphasized that Yates maintains a healthy balance, keeping the quarterbacks focused on football matters around 85% of the time. “I had a coach once who, at the end of the season, asked for feedback on how he could improve. I told him, ‘Coach, after about seven months, we probably didn’t talk about anything besides football for 30 seconds.’ I suggested that mixing it up a little could be a good balance. T.J. does a good job of that naturally.”
As for Cousins himself, he insists he’s not a conspiracy theorist at heart. “I try to ask guys what they think, and then you can kind of get a feel for who they are a little more if they lean that way,” he explained with a chuckle. “I actually don’t lean that way, but the more we talk about it, the more they’re pulling me over to being paranoid. So I don’t really know that I like this.”
Whether the Falcons’ quarterback conspiracy chatter is a harmless bonding exercise or a gateway to paranoia, one thing is clear: In the high-pressure world of the NFL, even the most far-fetched theories can provide a welcome distraction from the daily grind. As long as the on-field results don’t suffer, a little conspiracy never hurt anyone – or did it?
