Kirk Cousins Has Final Message
That’s all she wrote.
Kirk Cousins Has Final Message
Kirk Cousins formally departed the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday, signing a colossal four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons, a team he’ll hope to guide toward the postseason for the first time since 2017.
But before he became an official memory for Vikings fans, Cousins thanked them personally — and everyone attached to the organization and the state, on the whole.
Cousins posted this from his personal X account:
The former Vikings quarterback didn’t address any individual by name, instead lassoing the team’s leaders like Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell, plus the ownership group, The Wilfs, for the object of his gratitude.
Cousins said about Minnesotans and Vikings fans, “I’d also just like to say thank you to the people of Minnesota. The people of the Twin Cities. And the people we did life with on a daily basis around our great state of Minnesota. Just want to say thank you. You meant so much to my family. And as a result of your impact, Minnesota will always hold a special place in the hearts of me and my family.”
Fans overwhelmingly thanked Cousins, in return, on social media.
Cousins was connected to teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, and Las Vegas Raiders in the last two months via the rumor mill, but no destination ever made quite as much sense as the Falcons. And the Falcons’ front office pulled the trigger. Atlanta has not reached the postseason since 2017, so acquiring a quarterback of Cousins’ caliber is a consequential event.
The Vikings reportedly had a price in mind for Cousins in 2024 and beyond, but Atlanta’s prospal bested that, causing the free-agent relationship. Cousins departs the franchise ranked second in most passing touchdowns in Vikings history and third in passing yards.
He’ll now cook with Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, and Drake London on Sundays, which most NFL experts believe will pop off — in a good way. New Falcons head coach Raheem Morris was the Washington Commanders’ defensive backs coach from 2012 to 2014, also known as Cousins’ first three seasons in the NFL. The connection checks out.
On Cousins’ dime in Minnesota, the Vikings reached the playoffs twice in six years and won a single postseason game. Sam Darnold was signed Tuesday to fill the “bridge quarterback” responsibilities in 2024, and nearly everyone expects Minnesota to draft a quarterback in six weeks.
Caleb Williams (USC), Drake Maye (North Carolina), Jayden Daniels (LSU), Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), J.J. McCarthy (Michigan), and Bo Nix (Oregon) will likely go off the board in Rounds 1 and 2. Maye and McCarthy feel like the most realistic targets, via trade or otherwise, as of March 13th.
Vikings Veteran Says Goodbye
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,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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