Watch: Kirk Cousins mic'd up when he tore Achilles against Packers

"When I first got hurt, I didn't think I did anything too bad because I get stepped on all the time."

Kirk Cousins described himself as being "in a bit of denial" about the severity of his injury moments after it happened.

In the latest episode of the Vikings' digital series The Voyage, Cousins discussed the moment he tore his Achilles in the Vikings' Week 8 win over the Packers.

"When I first got hurt, I didn't think I did anything too bad because I get stepped on all the time," Cousins explained. "It just felt like my heel got stepped on. Then I realized I can't get to the sidelines, so I just hopped."

The 35-year-old quarterback was wearing a microphone during the game and could be heard telling medical staff as he hopped to the sideline, "Yeah my ankle is shot." 

Upon being told by a trainer to lean on him for help to the bench, Cousins replied, "I don't want to use you, I just want to hop."

Kirk Cousins on the sideline at Lambeau Field before he suffered a ruptured Achilles on Oct. 29, 2023.

Image courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

"I assumed at first, 'Oh it's a sprained ankle. This is going to be a difficult next month as I rehab but I'll be able play. I'm a pocket passer,'" Cousins continued. "I still didn't think I had torn anything. I still didn't think it'd be season-ending. I just knew it would probably be game-ending."

When asked by training staff where his ankle hurt, Cousins said "the back." Cousins can be heard telling the Vikings medical staff, "I got dorsal flexed like crazy."

"I went to go and my heel got locked into the ground, someone stepped on me and I went and my heel didn't go," Cousins said on the sideline to the medical staff. "So it just stressed it like crazy. I didn't feel anything when I went to go. I just pressed down and I got nothing. I just don't have much when I'm pressing."

Vikings rookie quarterback Jaren Hall was called upon to close out the game for Minnesota in Green Bay. As he was being helped to the medical tent Cousins could be heard offering encouragement to Hall, saying, "You got 'em Jaren. They're going to run the football. You got 'em."

Cousins went on to miss the remainder of the season as he underwent successful surgery to repair his Achilles tendon and now heads into free agency with his contract with Minnesota set to expire in early March.

"I obviously knew what that meant. I'm out for the year. I'm looking at 2024 as the next time I'll step onto a football field," said Cousins.