Ex-Vikings linemen offended by Kirk Cousins taking days off

"I was really offended when he said that. I think everybody on the team was probably like 'This is bulls***.'"

Author:
Jonathan Harrison
Publish date:
Feb 21, 2024 1:17 PM EST

Don't look now but Kirk Cousins is taking heat again for taking Tuesdays off.

This time the heat is coming from from former Vikings offensive linemen Alex Boone and Jeremiah Sirles during their most recent episode of SKOR North's O-line Committee podcast.

Show host Phil Mackey got the conversation starting, saying he was "offended" when Cousins revealed in the Netflix documentary Quarterback that he refused to work on Tuesdays, which are typically considered an off day for players in the NFL after their team plays on Sunday.

"The minute August starts, your life is over," Boone responded. "It's been like this for 100 years. Tell me I'm wrong, because there used to be times where Tuesday was lift day, it was recovery day and then guess what coach found you in the hallway, 'It's time to come upstairs and see the low lights. It's time to start talking about what the hell went wrong.'"

"It just starts over every Monday," Boone continued. "A whole new hundred-hour work week, all over. No matter how you feel or what you feel. And when the quarterback of the team comes out and is like, 'Well, I take Tuesdays off because I need personal time,' I was really offended when he said that. I think everybody on the team was probably like, 'this is bulls***.'"

Considering Cousins has been widely praised his teammates, especially star receiver Justin Jefferson, over the past couple years for his leadership, it's highly doubtful many of the current members of the Vikings are offended by Cousins spending time with his family on his off day.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio criticized Cousins for taking Tuesdays off in October in the midst of the Vikings 1-3 start, a start in which Cousins had thrown for more than 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns with four interceptions.

"I never played with a quarterback that wasn't in there first thing Tuesday morning," Sirles added. "And I learned that from Philip Rivers. When I read that, it just was weird to me because it was something I had never seen in a six-year career on four different teams."

Of all the criticisms of Cousins over the past six years in Minnesota, does anyone actually think he's selfish for taking one day off each week during the season?