The 35-year-old spent six seasons with the Washington Commanders, another six with the Minnesota Vikings, and now plays for the Atlanta Falcons, a team that is a hot favorite with those using the best sportsbooks in Georgia. Keep reading to discover Cousins’ remarkable achievements, monster-sized Falcons contract, and more.
Kirk Cousins’ Early Life
Kirk Daniel Cousins was born in Barrington, Illinois, on August 19, 1988. He is the second oldest of three children to Don and Maryann Cousins. Cousins played football, baseball, and basketball for Holland Christian High School before renowned head coach Mark Dantonio offered him a scholarship in 2007, which Cousins accepted.
Cousins had to bide his time at Michigan State, redshirting his first season and playing as the backup to Brian Hoyer in 2008. However, once Cousins had an opportunity to be the team’s starting quarterback in 2009, he grabbed the chance with both hands and did not relinquish his place in the team for three seasons.
Cousins majored in kinesiology in 2011, ending his college career with 91,31 passing yards and 66 touchdowns.
Kirk Cousins’ Professional Career
The Washington Commanders, then known as the Washington Redskins, selected Cousins as the 102nd overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. The team selected another quarterback, Robert Griffin III, as the second overall pick. Cousins was the eighth quarterback drafted in 2012, which did not bode well for his professional career. He signed a four-year, $2.57 million rookie contract.
Cousins spent most of his first three seasons as a backup, playing 14 games but only starting nine out of a possible 48. Despite his lack of game time, the Redskins named Cousins as their starting quarterback for the 2015 NFL season, and the Illinois native seized the moment. He finished his first full campaign with 4,166 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, leading the league with his 69.8% pass completion.
The Redskins placed a franchise tag on Cousins, granting him a one-year, $19.95 million contract extension for 2016. He kept his place as the team’s starting quarterback in 2016 and was given another franchise tag for the 2017 season, a one-year deal guaranteeing him another $23.9 million.
Becoming a Minnesota Viking
After contract talks between Cousins and Washington broke down at the end of the 2017 season, he became an unrestricted free agent. However, Cousins was not without a team for long because the Minnesota Vikings swooped in and gave him a three-year contract worth $84 million. At the time, it was the first fully guaranteed, highest-paying contract in NFL history.
Cousins quickly endeared himself to Vikings fans thanks to his highly accurate throwing arm, leadership skills, and never-say-die attitude. The Vikings finished 8-7-1 during Cousins’ first season, then 10-6, resulting in Cousins receiving a two-year, $66 million contract extension.
Although Cousins’ performances for the Vikings over the next couple of seasons were stellar, the same could not be said of his teammates, and the team finished 7-9 and 8-9 in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Despite a lack of success on the field, Cousins signed a one-year, $35 million fully guaranteed extension before the start of the 2022 season.
Cousins guided the Vikings to an impressive 13-4 record in 2022, but the team fell in the Wild Card Playoffs round against the New York Giants.
The 2023 season was Cousins’ last as a Viking. During the eighth game of the campaign, against the Green Bay Packers, Cousins tore his Achilles tendon in the fourth quarter, which ruled him out for the remainder of the season.
Signing a Mega Money Contract with the Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons announced on March 13, 2024, that they had signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract. The move was shrouded in controversy, with NFL officials investigating whether the Falcons started negotiations with Cousins while he was still contracted to the Vikings. The Falcons were fined $250,000 and stripped of a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft.
Controversy continued in April 2024 during the 2024 NFL Draft. The Falcons used their eighth overall pick to select the highly-rated Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. without consulting Cousins or his agent.
The Falcons’ draft pick has raised more than a few eyebrows because Cousins has every right to think he would be the undisputed starting quarterback for the team during the upcoming season. The Falcons have only enjoyed one winning season since reaching the Super Bowl in 2016. Cousins’ signing was billed as bringing the good times back to Atlanta.
However, Penix Jr. is a super talent and ready to step up to the professional game. He is also 24 and has a four-year, $22.8 million rookie contract. While Penix Jr. will likely serve as Cousins’ backup, it is not out of the realm of possibility that he will make the starting position his own.
Kirk Cousins’ Personal Life and Huge Net Worth
Cousins married Julie Hampton in June 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. The couple is the parents of two sons, Cooper and Turner, and they are practicing Evangelical Christians. Cousins was featured in the Netflix and NFL Films documentary Quarterback, where he showed how important his faith is to him and his family. He also showed a vast trophy room where he had reserved a space for his Super Bowl-winning uniform and accompanying ring.
As you have learned, Cousins has benefited from massive contracts throughout his NFL career; his earnings stand at an astronomical $231,669,486. Most sources suggest Cousins has a net worth north of $120 million.
His $180 million Falcons contract has $100 million guaranteed, including a $50 million signing bonus, meaning his average salary is $45 million each season. Cousins also has lucrative endorsement deals with Bose and Nike.
