Kirk Cousins Channels Mr. Perfect
Dustin Baker
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One of the false narratives associated with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is that he “needs everything to be perfect” to succeed.
The Vikings finished 2022 with a 13-4 record despite showcasing the NFL’s sixth-worst defense per DVOA, so Cousins emphatically dispelled the fallacious talking point once and for all.
Kirk Cousins Channels Mr. Perfect
And this week, Cousins tackled another ‘perfect’ narrative, partnering with NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt for a video bit, channeling former WWE wrestler Mr. Perfect, also known as Curt Hennig in WCW.
Cousins and Brandt recreated a skit from 1993 where Mr. Perfect and former Vikings tight end Steve Jordan illustrated perfect football operations. Here’s the video of Cousins and Brandt:
And here’s the nostalgic video from Jordan and Hennig, which celebrated a 30th anniversary on Wednesday:
In December, Brandt opined on Cousins’ Vikings as debate raged about whether the Vikings were special or ‘fraudulent.'”‘ On Good Morning Football six weeks ago, Brandt affirmed both sentiments were true, “Are the Vikings a huge fraud, or are they a genuinely special team? The answer is: yes.”
For context, Brandt seems to hold a sacred place in his heart for Cousins, as the show host has tweeted before — and often — about his affinity for Cousins’ on-the-field performance and ‘dad persona.’ The Mr. Perfect bit is merely a confirmation.
Mr. Perfect, or Curt Hennig, was a Minnesotan born in 1958 in Robbinsdale. He attended Normandale Community College in the 1970s and ventured into wrestling at the dawn of the 1980s. Hennig wrestled in the AWA, WWE, PNW, WCW, and TNA.
Hennig was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame (2007) and won the WWE Intercontinental Title twice, WCW’s United States Championship Belt, and a Tag Team Championship with Barry Windham. He also won the Heavyweight Championship strap in smaller promotions like AWA and PNW. After the WWE gave Hennig the Hall of Fame nod in 2007, he joined the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015.
Perfect died in Champlin, Minnesota, in 2003 due to a cocaine overdose. He was also speculated to have used painkillers and steroids, which could’ve contributed to his death at the age of 44. In fact, the 20th anniversary of his passing is next week, February 10th.
As for the Cousins-Hennig connection, that is unclear. When Jordan and Hennig recorded the “Perfect Football Video,” Cousins was four years old.
The Brandt-Cousins video was received well on social media — by those who understood it. KNSI Sports’ Justin Eckstrom commented, “Whoever had the idea to spoof this skit needs a raise.”
Twitter user Matt Cleckner replied, “lol, this is amazing. So faithfully done. Also, as if Kyle wasn’t a big enough fan of Kirk before.”
Cousins is under contract with the Vikings through the end of 2023.
One Working Theory for Vikings Next WR2
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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