With the NFL season approaching and the preseason schedule underway, Kirk Cousins celebrated his 36th birthday on August 19th.
Cousins has been the face of two franchises, holding numerous records with both the Commanders and Vikings, and will be the face of the Falcons in 2024 as they try to win their first NFC South title since 2016.
With the amount of success he has experienced throughout his career, FOX Sports Research decided to highlight some of his best moments from his 12 seasons in the NFL.
Let’s take a look:
Top 5 moments in Kirk Cousins’ career
“That’s what you like!”
“You like it!” Cousins yelled into the camera on his way back to the locker room after a big win for the Commanders in 2015. The line quickly became a viral hit and is perhaps the most memorable line of his entire career. Washington was trailing 24-0 at home to the Buccaneers in Week 7 when Cousins led the team to a 31-30 victory. The line was in response to a local reporter who had questioned Washington’s decision to keep Cousins in the starting line-up after a shaky start to the season. Cousins finished the game completing a then-franchise-record 33 passes for 317 yards, three touchdown passes and one rushing score.
Signed a record deal with the Falcons
Cousins, who set numerous franchise records with the Commanders and Vikings, signed a four-year contract with the Falcons last offseason worth up to $180 million. The deal included $100 million guaranteed, making Cousins just the 16th quarterback in history to reach that milestone in guaranteed money on a single contract. Cousins’ annual salary of $45 million is also the 11th-highest in history.
The biggest comebacks in NFL history
The most impressive feat on this list was when Cousins led the Vikings from a 33-0 halftime deficit to a 39-36 victory in overtime. It was the largest comeback victory in NFL history, and his 39 points scored in the second half (and overtime) are the fifth-most ever. Cousins completed 34-of-54 passes for 460 yards and four touchdowns in the Week 15 matchup in 2022. The Vikings finished the season with a 13-4 record and won the NFC North crown.
First career playoff win
In the 2019 season, Cousins led the Vikings to an overtime win over the Saints in the Wild Card Playoffs, his only playoff win. He recorded a 96.4 passer rating and threw 242 yards and a touchdown pass. The highlights of the game were two big passes: a 43-yarder to Adam Thielen in overtime and then a game-winning touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph.
Senior season at Michigan State University
Kirk Cousins is arguably one of the best players in Spartans history, and his senior season (2011) was one for the record books. He set the school record for passing touchdowns in a season (25) and led the team to its first appearance in the Big Ten title game. In his five seasons as a Spartan, he led the team to a 4-1 record against in-state rival Michigan, including a four-game winning streak from 2008 to 2011. Cousins finished his career as Michigan State’s all-time record holder for passing touchdowns (66), passing yards (9,131), pass completions (723), passing efficiency (146.1 rating), total offense (9,004 yards) and 200-yard passing games (26). Learn more about the National Football League Follow your favorites to stay informed about games, news and more
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