Six Takeaways From Watching Kirk Cousins in Netflix's 'Quarterback'
Netflix's Quarterback was released this week. Across eight episodes, the Omaha Productions and NFL Films docuseries follows Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Marcus Mariota, on and off the field, over the course of the 2022 season.
The Mahomes sections are plenty interesting; you get a look into the two-time MVP's work ethic and competitive fire during his second Super Bowl campaign. Many of the Mariota parts aren't super riveting, although you feel for the guy as he gets benched in December. Really, it's Cousins who steals the show with his quirky dad personality, intense dedication to his craft, and unwavering toughness. There's quite a bit of fascinating insight into who he is as a person and what he does every week to get ready for games.
Here are six takeaways from watching the show's deep dive into Cousins' season.
1. He took a beating last season
Watching Quarterback gives you a greater appreciation for Cousins' remarkable durability. He has never missed a game due to injury in his eight years as a starter, and he managed to continue that streak in 2022 despite taking an absolute beating. We already knew Cousins was hit more than any other quarterback in the league last season, but the violence of some of those blows really stands out in the show. He got the wind knocked out of him by Daron Payne in Washington, then again by the Bills' Von Miller the following week.
“I’m tired of getting hit every time," Cousins said on the sideline in Buffalo.
The amount of pain Cousins played through wasn't fully apparent until this show's release; he was dealing with serious bruising to his ribs and never let it keep him off the field. By the end of overtime in the incredible win over the Bills, he was completely gassed and hurting all over. Cousins got beat up again a week later in the blowout loss against the Cowboys, then had his rib soreness aggravated by the Patriots' Matt Judon four days later. And he still led the Vikings to a Thanksgiving night win over New England, which he celebrated with some turducken. Cousins also dealt with some foot pain later in the season.
The ability to overcome pain and not only play every weekend, but deliver big-time throws under duress is quite impressive.
At one point, Cousins said "I do think there’s a part of me that’s just sick and likes it" about getting hit, which is a hilarious quote.
2. His dedication to preparation is remarkable
It's not a secret that a massive amount of work goes into playing quarterback in the NFL. Still, it's another thing that's easier to appreciate and understand when you actually see it take place. It's clear that Cousins goes above and beyond when it comes to his physical and mental preparation, which has helped him carve out a long career and make four Pro Bowls despite not being the most athletically gifted QB in the league.
There's the constant work on his body: cold tubs, time on the training table at the facility, in-home visits from a chiropractor and masseuse. Then there's the mental side. Cousins records play-calls and studies them on his drive home, does various brain exercises to keep himself sharp, and even meets with a sports psychologist (Vikings Team Clinician Dr. Brownell Mack).
“You can’t afford to know it pretty well," he said of his playbook studies. "It’s gotta be locked in."
3. It took him a while to feel comfortable in a new offensive system
Despite Cousins' best efforts, he clearly wasn't fully comfortable in Kevin O'Connell's offense early in the season. In the show's first episode, there's a clip where Cousins fails to check out of a run play in Week 2 against the Eagles and immediately knows he messed up. There are several other instances where he talks about how he just doesn't quite have the system mastered yet. Cousins said everything started to really click in the Week 8 Cardinals game after the bye, but it remained an ongoing process all season.
If you're looking for a reason for optimism heading into 2023, it's that Cousins should be much more comfortable in his second year running this offense.
It's also interesting to see some back-and-forth between Cousins and O'Connell play out in the show. In a pivotal moment against the Bills, Cousins called a QB sneak on the goal line and didn't get in. O'Connell was frustrated. “I was gonna call timeout," he told Cousins. "I could’ve given you a better formation. You gotta let me help you." Other times, O'Connell has to try to calm Cousins down and keep him from getting too frustrated.
That relationship will again be key to the Vikings' success this season.
4. He deals with a lot of stress and doubt
One thing that stands out in the show is how hard Cousins can be on himself. After a Week 3 win over the Lions, as shown in the first episode, he's thinking more about missing a wide open K.J. Osborn than he is about hitting Osborn for the game-winning touchdown pass.
"Man, when you miss ones like that, it just, it eats at you," Cousins said. "I'm still on a quest to try to figure out how do I fulfill my potential as a player and a person while not driving myself crazy with the standard I'm asking. It can be a miserable place to live because you're never going to be perfect, and when you set that as your standard, you kind of set yourself up for failure."
Cousins seems to be fairly stressed out during games much of the time. A good example comes in episode six, which shows the Vikings' record-breaking comeback against the Colts. Cousins is incredibly frustrated in the first half (which is understandable). As the Vikings are mounting their comeback, he's thinking about how it won't mean anything unless they win. And he's dealing with doubt until the very end, saying "it's too far, we needed to get closer" on the sideline before Greg Joseph's game-winning field goal.
There's a lot of frustration on display during the show, probably because Cousins holds himself to such a high standard. There's a lot of thinking about what went wrong — and there's a lot of worrying about what could go wrong. These are all things that Cousins talks about with Dr. Mack, which is healthy, but it just appears to be part of who he is during the football season.
5. He comes off as extremely likable
It's difficult to watch Quarterback and not be won over by Kirk Cousins, the person. His dorky dad personality is on full display in the show. In the first episode alone, Cousins quotes Margaret Thatcher and laments burning a hole in his favorite hoodie while enjoying a bonfire with his family.
Family time is huge for Cousins. He takes Tuesdays completely off during the season and gets to spend time with his wife Julie, who comes off as very charming in her own right during her interviews for the show. On the specific Tuesday shown in episode six, Cousins goes for a walk with Julie, opens and responds to fan mail, and takes a solo trip to Barnes & Noble to purchase some reading material. Later in the episode, he celebrates the win over the Colts by bringing his five-year-old son Cooper into the locker room and helping him pick out some food to snack on. Even after Cousins is crushed by the Vikings' first-round playoff loss to the Giants in episode seven, he signs autographs for a couple fans on his way out of the stadium and ends the night by reading a book with Cooper and singing to him before bed.
The show also spends time showing Cousins' goofy side. There's the whole 'Kirko Chainz' alter ego that formed on flights home after road wins. The final episode shows him singing at the NFL Honors. During his interviews for the show, Cousins is constantly smiling and cracking self-deprecating jokes. He comes off as a very easy guy to root for, which might even change some neutral fans' perspective of him.
6. He really, really wants to win a Super Bowl before his career ends
Cousins turns 35 in a month and still has just one playoff victory to his name. Following such a special 13-win regular season with a wild card loss to the Giants at home really devastated him. There's a camera in the car as Kirk and Julie drive home after the game. "It doesn't feel like it should be over," he says. Of course, that was the game that ended on Cousins throwing short of the sticks on fourth down. The play he most wants back is the third down right before that final play, where he threw slightly behind an open Osborn.
In Cousins' beach house in Michigan, there's a "memory room" full of memorabilia from his entire football career. Built into it is a spot for a Lombardi Trophy. He desperately wants to win one before his career is over.
After watching Quarterback, some fans might find themselves wanting that for Cousins, too.
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