The day the Vikings won the NFC North title with an NFL-record 33-point comeback against the Colts last December, Kirk Cousins brought his oldest son Cooper into the home locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium to join the celebration. Cooper Cousins, then 5 years old, sat in the front row of the Vikings' news conference as his dad talked about stretching his career long enough for his son to enjoy it.
For preservation and longevity, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins hires full-time bodywork coach
Cousins has not missed a game because of injury in his eight years as a starting quarterback, but was hit more times (84) than any passer in the league last season.
July 26, 2023 at 12:39AM
His two boys were introduced to the nation earlier this month with the release of Netflix's "Quarterback" series, which opened by juxtaposing footage of Cousins reading a football book to his youngest son Turner with clips of the violent hits to the 34-year-old's ribs. The show chronicled the balletic dance between enjoyment and survival that Cousins performed in 2022, and his sons were on his mind when he decided for the first time this offseason to hire a full-time bodywork coach for 2023.
Though Cousins had worked with Chad Cook for years, their relationship functioned primarily over email, where the Atlanta-based coach would send Cousins a list of activities. This year, Cousins decided he wanted Cook with him in Minnesota, similar to Alex Guerrero's work with Tom Brady in New England or Bobby Stroupe's training with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City.
Most of his work with Cook will happen at his house, Cousins said, adding he wants to respect the boundary between a personal coach and the Vikings' staff. But Cousins, who turns 35 on Aug. 19, saw bringing Cook to Minnesota as a worthwhile investment in his longevity.
"This is something serious enough — my health, staying on the field, being around a long time — it's not worth cutting corners," Cousins said. "Let's go all-in. Let's overcommit if we have to. If I'm guilty of that, I can live with that.
"You know, I used to sit there in middle school, look up at the stars in the summer, see a shooting star and [it was], 'Everybody make a wish.' My wish was to be a pro quarterback. So I'm going to do all I can to maximize that. Shame on me if there was more out there to get and I didn't do all I could. Even if it ends after this year, I want to walk away with peace of mind; I gave everything I possibly could and left nothing out there. I believe whatever you do, you work at it with all your heart, and that's what I'm trying to do. Certainly, I'm trying to play long enough for my boys to remember it, and be a part of it."
Cousins has not missed a game because of injury in his eight years as a starting quarterback, but was hit more times (84) than any passer in the league last season. He showed up on the Vikings injury report for the first time in more than eight years in December 2021 because of a cracked rib. And though he did not appear on an injury report last season, the Netflix series showed in detail how hard he worked to manage ribs injuries after the Vikings' wins against Washington and Buffalo.
"It's not something you want to advertise," Cousins said. "So I'm going to stand up here every week and lie through my teeth and say I feel great to you guys. That's just the way it's got to be. The documentary, obviously, may tell a different story. The other thing is, running quarterbacks, there's a lot of attention on you getting hit running the football, which they do. But the pockets can be pretty violent too. … I'm fortunate to have not been more beat up in the number of games [I've played]. There's a lot of other people that prevent that from getting out of hand."
Whether by running the ball efficiently enough to keep Cousins out of long third-down situations or protecting him more effectively, the Vikings want to mitigate risk for a pocket passer who will again be the key to their season. Cousins, who is scheduled to be a free agent after the year, might need another productive year to earn the long-term deal that could help him finish his career in Minnesota.
Cousins said his kids haven't watched "Quarterback" yet, but when he was at the show's premiere event in Los Angeles, he found himself looking forward to when his sons are old enough to grasp it.
His hope now is to embrace the ride and extend it long enough for his kids to remember it.
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"I just felt there was a lot of merit to say, 'Hey, I've got a small window here,'" Cousins said. "If I play one more year than I otherwise would have because I took this seriously, then it's well worth it."
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
