The Minnesota Vikings have had a rough few days. But the most surprising thing was Kirk Cousinsleaving the Vikings for the Atlanta Falcons in free agency.
Now that free agency is officially open, Cousins has finally spoken out with a heartfelt message in a video posted on X, previously Twitter, on March 13 and captioned, “Thank you Minnesota. Love, Turner, Cooper, Julie, and Kirk.”
“Today has been a mix of good and bad for me,” Cousins said.
“I’m in Atlanta now, and later today I'm going to be signing a contract with the Falcons to make our agreement official. But that also means I have to say goodbye to Minnesota and the Minnesota Vikings. And that's what makes the day tough. So I just wanted to put out a little video to say, ‘Thank you.’
“Thank you to the amazing teammates, coaches, support staff, management, and ownership of the Minnesota Vikings for the way they have supported me.
“A quarterback really needs great people around him. And for six seasons, I had great people around me, and I don't take that for granted. It was an honor to quarterback the Minnesota Vikings and a privilege that came with a lot of responsibility. So I wanted to be accountable to all those who work for the Vikings and put in the necessary effort for them.
“I'm very thankful for who they are, for what they stand for, and the impact they had on me and my family.
“And then, I'd also just like to say thank you to the people of Minnesota. The people of the Twin Cities and the people who we spent time with every day 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 have a special place in the heart of me and my family.
“Thank you, and God bless.”
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Had ‘Significant & Positive Dialogue’ with Kirk Cousins
GettyGeneral manager Kwesi Adolfo-Mensah of the Minnesota Vikings.
Cousins’ new four-year, $180 million contract includes $50 million due at signing and $100 million fully guaranteed. The total value is roughly 97% of what Cousins earned in six seasons under center for the Vikings ($185 Million).
It is unclear which part exactly the Vikings were unwilling to meet to keep Cousins. But General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did not shy away from the decision to let Cousins walk.
“After significant and positive dialogue with Kirk and his representatives, we were unable to reach agreement on a contract that fits the short and long-term visions for both Kirk and the Minnesota Vikings,” Adofo-Mensah said in a statement released through the team and shared on March 12.
“Our approach heading into free agency always included layers of contingencies regarding the quarterback position. We are moving forward with plans that allow us to continue building a roster that can compete for a championship.”
Adofo-Mensah also expressed gratitude to the Cousins family and wished them well in their next phase.
Ex-Vikings Star Secures ‘Kirk Cousins’ Contract
GettyDanielle Hunter wears the number 99 for the Minnesota Vikings.
Cousins’ knack for maximizing his earnings has been noticed by the NFL. The four-time Pro Bowler has earned over $231 million in contracts throughout his career so far. per Spotrac.
Even NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport likened former teammate Danielle Hunter’s agreement with the Houston Texans to him.
“Danielle Hunter is going back to his hometown,” said NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on “NFL Total Access” on March 12. “He has reached an agreement with the Houston Texans, his hometown team. The deal is for two years and $49 million. $48 million is fully guaranteed, which makes it around 98% fully guaranteed. It’s a significant amount of fully guaranteed money. It’s similar to the Kirk Cousins deal for pass rushers.” Similar to Cousins in previous years, Hunter’s deal also allows for another opportunity in free agency.Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins shared a message for the first time since joining the Atlanta Falcons in free agency.
Like Cousins in years past, Hunter’s deal also allows for another bite at the free agency apple.
