The Unexpected Rise of Kirk Cousins

No one expected Kirk Cousins to be an NFL starting quarterback after being drafted a few round after Robert Griffin III. Here is the ultimate underdog rise of Kirk Cousins.
Socials:
Instagram - / shegotsports
Instagram - / itslaurenrussell
Twitter - SheGotSports?lang=en
TikTok - / shegotsports
Join the Discord Community! / discord
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:00 High School
02:07 Recruiting Woes
02:55 College
04:42 Draft Day Goes Wrong
06:11 Rookie Year
08:30 Early Washington Struggles
09:33 Becomes Starting QB
11:55 Washington Parts Ways With Kirk
12:15 Vikings

[@DoubleHelixStrand]

One thing to note, this will be the first season in his entire career that he's had the same OC two years in a row. He's had to learn different systems every year he's played until now.

[@emptyhand777]

Now he will be more predictable to defenses.

[@billhicks808]

Dude, there's only 3 different offensive systems in the NFL. West coast, Air Coryell and Perkins/Erhard. Some include the spread as a 4th, but that's really just worked into the 3 others as sets, it doesn't have its own language.

[@DoubleHelixStrand]

@@billhicks808 Right, totally. There's no reason to even have coaches. Everybody's just doing the same 3 things.

[@DoubleHelixStrand]

@@emptyhand777 The Ultra Predictable Kansas City Chiefs

[@billhicks808]

@@DoubleHelixStrand definitely, exactly what I said.

[@BN47]

Let's talk about his dad writing letters to EVERY player on the team talking about their strengths... Sounds like he was raised by a very thoughtful, caring father.

[@thelukeboi3118]

Man I hope Kirk wins a Super Bowl. And I am not just saying that because I’m a vikings fan, but because he actually deserves it. He never blames his mistakes on anyone else. And he is probably the most selfless person I have ever seen. And the sad thing is that the Media just absolutely hates him. And because of that, he beats himself up over it. I just wish things can go right for him.

[@TomdeSabla]

Well, he's a white Christian, so of course they hate him. Personally I think he's a great passer who just needs a good team and he can win it all

[@andrebowling9864]

Yeah I’m a bears fan but I’d like to see cousins win one “those chains”

[@MinnesotaVikingsFAN-ow1lo]

He's in Atlanta now

[@thelukeboi3118]

@@MinnesotaVikingsFAN-ow1lo yeah I know.

[@12thMandalorian]

Honestly after watching Quarterback on Netflix i have become a huge fan of this dude, top player, top man and deserves more respect!

[@seandillon1359]

I’ll never forget in the buccaneers subreddit years ago a guy said he went to a practice in DC and said “i know nobody knows who he is. But their backup, Kirk Cousins should be their starter” He proceeded to start eventually and the infamous YOU LIKE THAT choke by the Bucs happened

[@peteg2715]

I feel like this offseason Cousins finally getting more credit, he's been underrated for yrs. He's comfortably in that 9-12 range of QBs & actually lived up to his contract

[@richierich4330]

He's definitely above average. His only problem is he kinda chokes when it really matters

[@peteg2715]

@@richierich4330 I don't recall him ever choking Romo or Rivers style, like throwing or fumbling away a game. He wasn't the reason Vikings lost their playoff game. He's had the same amount of playoff success as Herbert, Lamar, Dak.. Which is none lol

[@batboy020876]

Yes but what you idiots don't know is that he's had several of the best wide receivers ever to play the game. He stuff his nails but this little hottie doing this video doesn't know she had just watches to season quarterback and get the information from there

[@SoukiTv]

@@bosskilla4624only choking he does is on Monday

[@gimletinf69]

There are 20+ teams that would love to have Kirk tomorrow🤧💯

[@jakez199456]

Yeah as a Vikings fan it is nice seeing people actually seeing that Kirk is actually a quality caliber starting QB and that he takes far too much heat for really no reason. now does he still make mistakes that I can't even forgive, of course. IDK a single QB that doesn't, but so many times in so many cases, he was doubted. Not only doubted, but cast aside and wrote off. Now is he a top 5 QB? I'd say no, but he has the ability and potential to be that guy. And finally, it feels like he has the right voices and players around him.

[@SheGotSports]

I feel like he is def top 10 around like that 9 or 10 spot

[@Paula-mv8im]

Well, his peers think (most likely) that he's top 6 per the NFL Top 100. Game recognizes game.

[@jimbowlan5804]

Kirk has a stretch where he’s top5 but then he’ll have a game or two where’s he in the 15 to 20 range then he gets back on track

[@michaelwhite4004]

​@@SheGotSports I think seeing that series of quarterback on Netflix it and when it showed the homecoming of him playing against Washington and the you like that game against the buccaneers was extremely huge overall for his career.🏈

[@djquinn11]

As a Lions fan, who would you rather have as your starting QB, Cousins or Goff?

[@DynamiteDB]

I love this dude. I hope he can pull off a Super Bowl.

[@iplayoldschoolrunescape]

daammnn this makes me excited for kirk hopefully his career keeps trending up

[@sandralynch9928]

After watching Netflix Quarterback I really liked who Kirk Cousins is as a person. I hope he has all the success he wants except for beating my Chiefs. He really is inspiring and a hard working man. It would be very hard not to be impressed with him.

[@flybirdsfly2091]

Kirk really not that bad but i feel he can be better.

[@SheGotSports]

facts

[@davidls187]

Kirk year in and year out plays behind bad OLs and with bad defenses. He could have even better results if he had a better supporting cast

[@brucedale7912]

@@davidls187couldn’t agree more. People who question his toughness/ability ought to try dropping back to pass behind the awful offensive lines the Vikings trot out season after season

[@alyssakellander3874]

@@brucedale7912i am a vikings fans and i like cousins it just stinks that vikings defense was bad last year we had a great season but our defense costed us the giants playoff game

[@Paula-mv8im]

@@davidls187 He hasn't had a good defense for most of his career. During Kirk’s time in Washington, the defense ranked 17th or worse.

[@lukepierce5050]

Kirk cousins was my favorite qb they followed with the Netflix series. So I was really happy when I saw this video!

[@tommylitz4543]

The 2015 2nd skins-eagles game was like a playoff game. Winner takes the NFC East, loser goes home, eliminated from the playoffs. Kirk came through big.

[@0910President]

This tells us a lesson. Never give up on your dreams…❤

[@muggsyaxton8085]

Great stuff as always, Lauren. Your enthusiasm is infectious and your knowledge first-rate. So glad I came across your channel. Go NYG!

[@benpeterson7530]

Kirk is invincible. He plays every game, every season (aside from not playing one week because he had Covid). He is also one of the most hit QBs in the NFL. He has only missed one game due to injury, and that was in his second year at Michigan. I think he may be the toughest QB in the NFL.

[@MoonCobalt]

This didn't age well💀

[@thekillers1stfan]

It's crazy how some people will still claim Dak Prescott is better than him lmao

[@scrubbdaddy]

Bruh I wish I knew women that loved and talked about football with as much passion and knowledge as you do. Keep the shit up.

[@daveallen9958]

Kirk is about to kick some ass this year in Atlanta!

[@brotherjohnwaynecausey]

I'm so pumped for my upcoming fantasy football season

[@BullCraftMaxx]

Great channel, came up from KZbin recommendations. Just subscribed, keep up the great work!

[@chris_hisss]

What a great story, told so well! Thanks!

[@kofiasantejr.1346]

Great video Lauren!! I just started to know about Kirk through the Quarterback documentary and as much as he is highly underrated on the field, he is also one of the most genuinely wholesome guys I have ever seen grace the National Football League. Hopefully this season he can finally add more to his resume than just his stats and one playoff win. Keep it up!

[@brotherjohnwaynecausey]

Great video Lauren 📹

[@JQVault]

Outstanding Video. I just loved it

[@somebody6433]

I didn't realize Washington drafted RGIII and Cousins in the same draft. Wild.

[@SheGotSports]

so wild lol

[@bong_thong]

Kurt has a really crazy story. Never knew he came up from so much adversity

[@johnchedsey1306]

I have a different take on Cousins. He's one of the biggest winners ever in the business of the NFL. A 4th round afterthought has earned himself a silly amount of money during his own career and negotiated a rare fully guaranteed contract. He *might* have a shot at the super bowl this year, but it's incredibly hard to even make superbowls in this league. But regardless of that, the guy had several Brinks trucks full of money backed up to his house and that's an impressive feat in a sport that chews up & spits out players.

[@dsfddsgh]

A Super Bowl with that shitty defense? I don't think so. The Vikings last season were a 9-8 team masquerading as a 13-4 team.

[@johnchedsey1306]

@@dsfddsgh hence the term "might", which means it would boggle the mind if it happens

[@katherineberger6329]

@@dsfddsgh Under Flores I'm not worried about the defense. It looks like we're not going to get Donashelled this time out; what I'm worried about is the incredibly porous offensive line. There's LOTS of holes there and Kirk was one of the most sacked QBs in the NFL last year.

[@APizzle90]

Kirko Chains!!!

[@robertocorona9907]

Great content just subscribed

[@alexanderboulton2123]

IT'S THE O-LINE!!!

[@PurplePete763]

I wasn't too excited about Kirk coming to the Vikings. He is not as easy to like as Teddy was, but he quickly grew on me. He is always under rated so it is fun to watch him confound his critics. Kirk didn't lose the last years playoff game, the D did. Also our interior O line was getting mauled by the Giants. He is playing great at age 36 which is a testament to clean living.

[@darrinthurston3308]

But he's actually turning 35 this month, she misspoke since he is currently 34.

[@jmgonzales7701]

​@@darrinthurston3308dude is old as hell.

[@Paula-mv8im]

@@jmgonzales7701 Kirk is 35 but he’s only been a starter for half of the time (8 seasons) than other quarterbacks his age. He also wasn’t a starter in his lower 20’s (he was 27) like most other QBs so he has far less wear and tear than everybody else does. And with the way that he takes care of his body (better than Brady), there is no valid reason to think that he is going to start declining or not play at a high level well into his 40’s like Brady. Pretty much every starting quarterback nowadays plays for 15-20 years.

[@JohnSmith-xh5cz]

You are a smart and amazing creator keep it up

[@lampini]

I knew kirk was going to be a good QB as soon as RG3 went down and kirk started playing a couple games. As a commanders fan I wish we never let him walk

[@Sleepingguitah]

I think the only thing holding that team back is the defense, I think that no matter what kirk and the offense can do, if the defense fails it will crumble.

[@jmgonzales7701]

He cant throw deep thou

[@barteikelenboom3763]

A new upload? We like that!

[@ironrevenger9386]

Been waiting for this one! Rise & Fall of RG3 or Sam Bradford would be a nice vid

[@tonyamaddi3044]

I really enjoy your channel. I got into football when I was 7 years old. It was 1978. I was an Oilers fan. I was lucky enough to go to 2 games in 1979. Earl Campbell was the original Beast Mode. It was so much fun. I dreamed of being a sports reporter. But, back then, things were different. It was exactly encouraged for girls. It was what it was. Anyway, I am so glad I found your channel. It is insightful, intelligent and fun. Keep up the great work.

[@ryanlifematters]

I love the way you talk I’m always like who’s talking lol🎉

[@loganmotorsports2586]

Lauren is back 👍👍

[@FanaticsSports]

Lauren’s got great videos, Fr wish mine were as good as this 😂

[@adamdobrowolski2510]

Kirk Cousins is 15-46 vs teams with a winning record, but that includes 7-6 in his last 13. Maybe he's turned the corner... or maybe he'll regress to his mean. The latter at this age and cost would probably end his time as a starter. Compare this to Matthew Stafford, who's still 15-77 vs winning teams despite a 7-5 record with the champion 2021 Rams. Even one-year wonders can have their day, especially if they have strong qualities that can capitalize on having a world-class supporting cast.

[@donnieshelton591]

It’s a team game and check out Kirks stats. He finished ranked #1 once, and top 5 in the NFL five times.

[@adamdobrowolski2510]

@@donnieshelton591 Finished #1 at what? He's never made All-Pro and never finished better than 4th in passer rating.

[@donnieshelton591]

@@adamdobrowolski2510 since you ask … Ranks 2nd in Vikings history with 35 TD passes in a season in 2020, -his 8 games with 3+ passing TDs in 2020 is a Vikings record, passing Daunte Culpepper's 7 in 2000. • Is 5th in Vikings history in QB starts (47) and 6th in wins (25). • His 17 career games with 300+ passing yards, 3+ TDs and 115.0+ passer rating are THE MOST IN HISTORY in the opening 9 seasons of a QB's career in NFL history. • His 107.4 passer rating in 2019 marked a personal best and stands as the 2nd-highest single-season rating in franchise history (Daunte Culpepper, 110.9 passer rating in 2004). • Posted 5 games with an 80.0% completion mark in 2019 (min. 10 attempts), a single-season ALL TIME NFL record. • Became the 3rd-fastest player in NFL history to complete 2,000 passes vs. Denver (11/17/19), needing only 89 games. • Cousins' 137.1 passer rating in the month of October in 2019 was the 2nd-highest in a month in NFL HISTORY trailing only Peyton Manning's 138.0 rating in September of 2013. -NFC Offensive Player of the Month for his efforts.

[@donnieshelton591]

@@adamdobrowolski2510 oh yeah and another milestone - Only 3 QBs in NFL history have had 30k yards and 200 TD in their first 115 games. 🏈 Dan Marino 🏈 Peyton Manning 🏈 Kirk Cousins

[@adamdobrowolski2510]

@@donnieshelton591 So NOTHING first in NFL, except for an arbitrary "if, if and if" stat that doesn't account for modern-day passing efficiency inflation. What you have is a cherry-picked, noisy argument that doesn't correlate to actual wins and losses. However, what I said stands in that regard. Keep it simple on the macro level. Kirk has poor W-L vs winning teams relative to his peers DESPITE having a rather solid positive Relative Passer Rating. What does that mean? Not just defensive shortcoming from his teams but his own inability to cobble together the most meaningful successes at the most meaningful times. It's exactly why his playoff sample size is so limited relative to his passing efficiency.

[@volcanothesweatvolcanothes106]

Lauren is back

[@chriscarlsen6408]

People say Kirk can’t win the big ones but he’s never had an ounce of help from his o-line or defense

[@jamesmerritt3267]

Very few see that. The Eagles didn't let the Giants or the 49ers score in the playoffs and Hurts got all the credit. In the Super Bowl the Chiefs scored and the Eagles got beat. It's right in front of people. Plus one of the Chiefs scores was when Hurts just dropped the ball. That's a choke job if I ever saw one.

[@bradypreston8472]

Hey Lauren!!!

[@tylerd1297]

Should have specified about all those games he lost in 2014: he came out red hot in his first start vs the Eagles, only for the defense to lose a shootout. He had a lot of eyes on him after that game. He even started the infamous Thursday night game vs NYG okay; but then those interceptions sent him in a nosedive of people hating him. This was all in a matter of weeks So to me, it really wasnt shocking that Gruden and McVay gave him another chance. The potential was clearly there, the fans just werent very patient.

[@LFGKNICKS]

@shegotsports LAUREN are you going to make a KZbin video on week 1 predictions of your opinion on who you think will win the games on week 1

[@markanderson1448]

It’s unbelievable that so many coaches, players, “pundits”,and fans disrespect Captain Kirk! No matter how great he plays, no matter how high his QBR, they hate him. This summer he was even dissed by one of his own receivers, Jefferson, who did not rate Captain Kirk as a top tier quarterback. How stupid!

[@MarioLopez-jv3ov]

Kurt cousin has potential. BTW long time no see Lauren

[@Skittleboys]

Awesome

[@djquinn11]

Nice job, just one exemption. Although you identified Michigan State you later said Michigan called. As a Wolverine, that makes a difference 😂 Kirk was a really good college player and always seemed like a good kid. Also, keep up the good work on the videos and Go Blue!

[@user-rd2kq2ok7c]

Wow did not know Michigan State had Brian Hoyer, Nick Foles AND Kirk Cousins on the roster at one time. Kind of nutty

[@tonygrillo3885]

Great Human Being!!!!

[@jamesdavis8542]

If I die…. I die. The quote thst changed me to a fan of Mr Cousins

[@gimletinf69]

I LIKE THAT🔥😮‍💨💯

[@ryanbuller2602]

Kirk has always been solid especially for his draft status now if he can ever shake this label as a prime time choker

[@Paula-mv8im]

Seems like they always want to blame him even though every playoff lost was that the defense didn't show up. For the 2019 game, IMO, Zimmer didn't do anything different to prepare for the 49ers. I would think that you would watch what those other teams did to beat them and do the same thing. Of course, he was terrible at clock management and had a prevent style defense so that didn't help either. People want to ignore that coaching matters, too.

[@KramuWu]

The QB that has the biggest NFL comeback.. ever. Im from Minnesota and people love and hate Cousins, but getting the exact same number as farve on a team with a much less talented O-line. Captain Kirk was/is a gem for the Vikings. So to be clear... BIGGEST NFL COMEBACK EVER.

[@sawyerhinck2471]

When are you doing football predictions?

[@MarioLopez-jv3ov]

76k i see you Lauren

[@cpnkillerkush2184]

My man kurt will have its best season and same with the viks mark this down for real this is the year he comes out as one of the best quarterbacks and Jefferson will make sure of that #skol

[@calebbailey6504]

I love Kirk honestly, but like he’s just an easy guy to dunk on. Him and QBs that play like him (i.e. Garappolo) aren’t as flashy as other QBs, but that are efficient, which I think is just as important (maybe more).

[@jmgonzales7701]

Whats wrong on how they play?

[@GenX_-um2ct]

If the Oline can stay healthy and Flores can coach our D up to even midling we are a better team this year. Our record might not be better than last year because we were living on luck, but our team is going to be more solid. I think Kwesi and Kevin are doing a fine job keeping this team competitive while they rebuild! And Kirk is an enigma. I dont want to give up on him tho! Skol

[@AmericasQB_KirkCousins]

Kirk Cousins is the greatest QB ever.

[@Chewy_GarageBandDad]

Imagine Robert Griffins perplex..tion..able..bly...SURPRISE! No..the amount a person is perplexed.. when Cousins was chosen.

[@sawyerhinck2471]

It’s a crazy story I think that he has a bright future his goal is to just win the divisional round.

[@KramuWu]

we(MN) pay so much for the highest talent available (TJ is now the highest paid Tight end in the league) and still cant get close to a super bowl... I hope this post bites me in the ass.

[@mr.automatic4064]

Kirk is honestly a solid quarterback and guy. It’s unfortunate that he’ll probably be remembered as a guy who crumbled in the spotlight. Also I think it would be interesting if you went back further in Giants history and look at a weird career of a player like Phil Simms.

[@wesleyquintanilla2313]

KIRK cousins is not a bad quarterback. His problem is that he’s never been a prime Time quarterback like tonight’s game. He has never shined on prime time. National television.

[@donnieshelton591]

Kirk is the most underrated QB in the entire league. REDSKINS were idiots to play RG over Cousins.

[@chazztreat8317]

He’s a good qb for sore

[@Freeplayone]

I hated his signing.... and his first years as a vike. But now I see what he can do. I was not giving him credit. Now I like him as or franchise QB

[@billhicks808]

2nd best QB the Vikings have ever had.

[@user-rp9mu5ig2l]

Do you mean like Romo?

[@rolfanderson3925]

Kirk ain’t got that dog in him. We should’ve kept Keenum. Every night I reminisce about 2017 Vikings and what could’ve been.

[@Paula-mv8im]

Ain't got that dog in him? His teammates (who would know best) say different per a speech he gave to the team in 2022. And Keenum hasn't been able to replicate his magical 2017 season since then. He is currently a back-up QB. The reason for the decline between 2017 and 2018 wasn’t Kirk Cousins, who outperformed 2017 Case Keenum by most key metrics. The small decline in the defense contributed to the disappointing season, but it was the running game dropping from 7th to 30th in league rankings that had the biggest impact.

[@marcomendez7001]

Kind of reminds me of Tony Romo. Great qb, but surrounded by goats

[@tommylitz4543]

Mike Shanahan saw it coming. He coached the Senior Bowl. Kirk beat him from the other sideline.

[@samuelhearne8488]

Old Skins fan I want him to get a ring before it's all said and done

[@okamisan3642]

Next video: Derrick Carr the cheat code

[@DannyG21]

Tony romo jr lol season warrior then lights get too bright when it matters

[@trevonpernell0814]

10:28 YOU LIKE DAT?! YOU LIKE DAT!

[@waltaulemmoja7098]

Love ol girls content

[@scottdassler3964]

YOU LIKE THAT?! Yes I like this video

[@ricklong3260]

I hope these kirk bashers are watching...

[@jeffreymanier0]

Ngl, ive shat on the vikings and kirk for being overrated, but I will say, since coming into the league kirk has developed into a beast of a QB. Granted, he still has a lot to prove in the spotlight, as I still feel he isnt great in high pressure, primtime situations and games but second year with a new coach ill give em a chance

[@Paula-mv8im]

What has always impressed me about him is that he is always looking to improve his game. Such as...Two days after the Redskins' first game in 2012, rookie quarterback Kirk Cousins took a seat in the office of then-Redskins pro personnel director Morocco Brown. He asked to study the defensive players on the Rams, the Redskins' next opponent. Every Tuesday since then, Cousins met with one of the Redskins' pro scouts to study opposing personnel. He takes notes in a notebook then, and at the end of the season, he types out the notes and stores them digitally. He now has a library with a file of every opponent, like a scout would. He can discuss Josh Norman's career arc from a fifth-round pick to arguably the best cornerback in football. He has researched why the Panthers Pro Bowler was drafted so low, what he has improved on, how much of his success is due to talent versus scheme. Cousins has information on players' 40 times, their college backgrounds and what defenses they best fit. He is an avid reader of books to improve himself. He meets with former quarterbacks (including Tarkenton) in the off-season to get advice. As a rookie, he started watching the Monday night game every week from a head coach's perspective, notebook in hand. When does it make sense to take a sack? When do I need to stay in bounds? When should I clock it? Cousins also has spent extra time studying film on quarterbacks he wants to emulate. He pays attention to their snap counts, how they initiate motion and how they drop back. In 2021, he re-watched every game of his NFL career (it was probably something he picked up from Brady). During game weeks, after Cousins receives plays (about 100 of them) from the coaching staff each Wednesday, he pulls out a computation notebook filled with graph paper and draws each one using the PIMP method. I’m sure there are a whole bunch more things that he does.

[@NYG5]

Brandon Weedon LMFAO

[@christophercripps7639]

McAfee flashed playoff stats Cousins v Burrow. Both about the same except Vikings D a lot worse than Bengals.

[@tommylitz4543]

Cousins is 34. He will turn 35 this year.

[@caseybanter5751]

Life long Vikings fan here.. i actually like Cousins but i feel hes over paid. Would be nice to spend that money on surrounding him with more weapons/better defense. Then him and the Vikes could be contenders!

[@Paula-mv8im]

With everyone else getting huge contracts, what Kirk is making is actually pretty reasonable. Flores' aggressive scheme is gonna make a big difference this season.

[@caseybanter5751]

@Paula-mv8im yeah, thats true. but there are two types of QBs that win SuperBowls... Elite or Cheap. Cousins is solid, but I wouldn't call him an Elite QB. And he certainly ain't cheap!

[@caseybanter5751]

@@Paula-mv8im but these QB contracts are getting out of control! What the Browns gave Watson really screwed over the whole league.

[@mcb2757]

Cousins in the most criminally underrated player in not just NFL, but professional sports history. He's a four time pro-bowler over 8 years as a starter and somehow the mainstream media thinks they can convince the sports world that he's a bottom-half-of the-league QB. It's retarded. The hate likely comes from his outspoken Christianity, which is not a surprising behavior from a devil-worshiping sports media. Same thing happened to Tim Tebow. As soon as they discovered that he had people googling John 3:16, he was LONG gone.

[@chrisuncleahmad]

You Like That?

[@SheGotSports]

i did like when he said that

[@darrinthurston3308]

@@SheGotSports Kirk is 34 turning 35 in two weeks.

[@PhantomObserver]

Remember the Kirk Cousins Curse: No team who lost a game to Cousins in an NFL season has made it to the Super Bowl in that same season.

[@tommylitz4543]

Wrong. She even showed you the game where Kirk came off the bench, trailing by 8 to beat the Ravens. The Ravens won the SB that season.

[@PhantomObserver]

@@tommylitz4543 That was as a backup for the Falcons. As a starter for the Vikings, the Curse still holds.

[@tommylitz4543]

@@PhantomObserver Kirk Cousins sngle-handedly beat the 2012 Baltimore Ravens who went on to win the SB at the end of the same season. You lose.

[@tommylitz4543]

@@PhantomObserver no curse.

[@jameswilmer8433]

As least he will be a rich person

[@bgzwlz5119]

The rise of Kirk Cousins! OMG, for a player who has made 200 million dollars and has only won one playoff game in 10 years, I guess not setting the bar too high constitutes a rise for some! The truth is that the team had a perennial top 10 defense under Zimmer and constantly putting more resources into the offense to try to get more out of a QB who isn’t capable of raising the level of play from the players around him has doomed the team to mediocrity, and having been a fan for over 50 years it is time to move on from KC. I will add that bad luck and poor drafting in the secondary has also contributed to not getting over the hump!

[@Paula-mv8im]

During Kirk’s time in Washington, the defense ranked 17th or worse. It's the ultimate team game after all. Zimmer only had top defenses up to 2017. After that, they dropped off. The reason for the decline between 2017 and 2018 wasn’t Kirk Cousins, who outperformed 2017 Case Keenum by most key metrics. The small decline in the defense contributed to the disappointing season, but it was the running game dropping from 7th to 30th in league rankings that had the biggest impact. In 2019, the defense ranked sixth in points allowed per game (18.9) and finished 14th in yards allowed per game (341.6)....and they made it to the playoffs. But, vs the 49ers, the defense struggled against the run and was unable to create bad situations for the 49ers. Add to that, Zimmer didn't seem to change anything (like he did for the Saints game). 2020-2022: the defense was one of the worst in the league. 2020: the defense stumbled in a season that will be remembered for turnovers and injuries. 2021:Of the 686 NFL teams that have been measured for points surrendered in the final 2 minutes of the half and end of game, since the 2000 NFL season, the 2021 Vikings were ranked 686th. The absolute worst 2 minute defense of any team in the NFL over nearly a quarter of a century. 2022: Well, we all know what happened there.

[@Paula-mv8im]

I gotta say...he reminds me of Brady (minus the Super Bowls obviously), both are pocket passers, not first round draft picks (both have a chip on their shoulder), same Wonderlic score, both went to colleges in Michigan and they have the same dedication to how they take care of their bodies.

[@jmgonzales7701]

Unlike brady he dont have a deep ball, he also crumbles in the spotlight. Dude is a pocket passer but he gets hit most of the time. He can be better and he should be but dude is already 34 or something if he was 5 years younger i would say he can ascend to stardom.

[@Paula-mv8im]

@@jmgonzales7701 He's actually one of the best deep passers in the league (per the stats that measure that). Brady pretty much had a top 10 defense and running game throughout his career to help make his success possible which Kirk hasn’t had. During Kirk’s time in Washington, the defense ranked 17th or worse and had a poor running game. The Vikings’ defense has been one of the worst for the past three seasons (and this season so far except for week 4). Give the man a top 10 defense (and an interior O-line) for once and there would be playoff wins. Not even Mahomes is gonna win a Super Bowl (LV) with a crappy O-line and defense. If you watch games, you'll notice he's getting hit while he's making those throws to offset them and he still throws dimes to his receivers. All NFL quarterbacks have poor games. Kirk’s versions of these poor outings are skewered by the media and fans like none other. His great games are wholly washed away by underwhelming ones. Or there is that one (or several) bad play and their go-to is, yep, Kirk played terrible for the entire 60 minute game. I would argue that people that think that he crumbles in the spotlight, aren't actually watching the whole game. I actually didn't know anything about him before he came to the Vikings an was curious about background. I checked articles from the Washington Post. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/kirk-cousinss-rapid-ascent-fueled-by-an-attention-to-detail-trust-in-process/2016/01/08/928ac632-b54d-11e5-a76a-0b5145e8679a_story.html He just didn't get the starting job because RGIII went down. He works hard all of the time to improve his game.

[@Joshua-uw7wm]

Can we all just sit back and admire the outright insane amount of money this dude made in the NFL?

[@othersideofgohan1]

vikings still think he the one but he and the team aint doing that well never been to nfc champ

[@isaidicanshout]

The definition of mid

[@Paula-mv8im]

A quarterback that leads their team to the greatest comeback in NFL history is certainly not "mid". Any other quarterback not named Kirk Cousins that would have done that would be called elite.

[@TheLeadG]

He’s mid. Not bad, not great. Just okay.

[@Dillonkkk]

Vikings going 4-13 cousins is trash

[@Paula-mv8im]

Well.....Cris Carter said that Kirk has never been the problem in MN, but I he probably doesn't know what he's talking about. 🙇‍♀