Kirk Cousins Turns 33 Today. It’s a Popular Age to Win a Super Bowl.
Thursday marked Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins’ birthday. He is 33.
A member of the team since 2018, Cousins has delivered the NFL’s fifth-most touchdown passes during his Vikings tenure, only bested by Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady. Still, ask about 20% of Vikings fans about the efficacy of Cousins as starting quarterback, and some will state that the fifth-most touchdown passes in the last three years are not good enough. It’s an odd dynamic for a franchise that has notoriously struggled to put a thumb on a mainstay passer. Minnesota now has that in Cousins, but several onlookers of the team are not satisfied.
Always remember, if Cousins is eventually jettisoned by the team: A man that tossed 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns like a religion could not satiate a significant portion of the Vikings fanbase.
Because of this “Cousins isn’t any good” mood by some, the clock on his employment hits a pivotal spot in 2021.
Between Cousins and head coach Mike Zimmer, the team must actionize a deep playoff run – or widespread change is inevitable in 2022. Cousins is paid tremendously by the Vikings — $35 million in 2021 – so patience is wearing thin for the Cousins-Zimmer cocktail. Every season for the Vikings as of late is accompanied by “all-in” stakes, but this year, jobs are on the line. Write that down.
If history is a fair measuring stick, Cousins at 33 years old is a good omen for 2021. It’s still at a prime age for quarterbacks – hell, Tom Brady is 11 years old than Cousins – and a plethora of signal-callers have reached and won the Super Bowl during their respective age-33 season. Of course, this is not a guarantee that Minnesota reaches the Super Bowl. The Vikings have not reached a Super Bowl since the 1976 season. Good God. Six consecutive NFC Championship opportunities were bungled.
Here’s the history on quarterbacks in an age-33 season reaching the Super Bowl:
Bart Starr (1966) – Won SB over Chiefs
Billy Kilmer (1972) – Lost SB to Dolphins
Fran Tarkenton (1973) – Lost SB to Dolphins
Roger Staubach (1975) – Lost SB to Steelers
Jim Plunkett (1980) – Won SB over Eagles
Joe Theismann (1982) – Won SB over Dolphins
Joe Montana (1989) — Won SB over Broncos
Jim Kelly (1993) – Lost SB to Cowboys
Steve Young (1994) — Won SB over Chargers
Chris Chandler (1998) – Lost SB to Broncos
Peyton Manning (2009) — Lost SB to Saints
So, this is not a rubberstamp that Cousins will be the guy to reach Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. But by the numbers, an age-33 quarterback reaches the Super Bowl every five seasons. We’re due. That last man to do it was Peyton Manning versus the New Orleans Saints – in a Super Bowl the Vikings probably should have been a part of, if life wasn’t so cruel.
Cousins will have plenty of firepower to the back and sides of him. Dalvin Cook remains in his physical prime. Adam Thielen is winding down a wonderful prime of his own, transitioning to a catcher of touchdowns (he had 14 in 2020). And Justin Jefferson is ascending to stardom, shattering the NFL rookie record for receiving yards (1,400) last year.
If, for one season, the Vikings offensive line – especially the pass protection – can avoid basement-dwelling for performance, Cousins has a puncher’s chance to become the 12th man on the “age 33” Super Bowl list for quarterbacks.
