Does Kirk Cousins Still Feel the Atlanta Commitment?
Ted Schwerzler
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The Minnesota Vikings were expected to turn over a new leaf at the quarterback position this offseason, and that was the case regardless if they brought back Kirk Cousins. Ultimately, they decided not to match the Atlanta Falcons’ crazy offer, but Cousins talked about a level of commitment that made him happy with his new home.
Does Kirk Cousins Still Feel the Atlanta Commitment?
Guarantees are the name of the game when it comes to NFL contracts, and Minnesota simply wasn’t willing to go to the same lengths that Atlanta was. Cousins noted that the Vikings’ offer boiling down to something like a one-year deal made him less inclined to stay, and the feeling of commitment from Atlanta turned on his warm fuzzies.
Then, the NFL Draft happened.
It’s not so much that the Falcons grabbed Michael Penix. If Cousins had stayed with Minnesota, that could have also been a probable outcome. The way they went about it has raised questions about what sort of organization he is joining, though. Not informing him until the final minutes and somewhat pulling the rug from under him is not something that Cousins ever experienced with the Vikings.
While playing for the purple, Minnesota was consistently up front with their signal caller. While his deals were generally short-term in recent seasons, he continued to be paid handsomely and had plenty of insight into the roster. He walked stride for stride with head coach Kevin O’Connell, and there was never a point in which Minnesota didn’t feel like they had a partnership with the most important player.
Having played for only two franchises previously, and one before Minnesota that has notoriously been poorly run, it’s worth wondering if Cousins still has the warm fuzzies in Atlanta. He had a great thing going in Minnesota, and the Falcons quickly reminded him that they aren’t run the same at the first opportunity they could.
There’s no reason to believe that Cousins will ever be completely transparent about his decision-making process. There’s really no benefit for him to do so. That said, it has to sting a little bit to go from something so predictable and comfortable to an entirely new set of parameters and have them change on you at the drop of a hat.
The two sides will meet in 2024, setting up a matchup that will be a must-watch.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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