Kirk Cousins is not a former New York Jet. He is, in fact, a former quarterback for the Washington Redskins.
But you wouldn’t know if by some of the media coverage coming from New York in advance of Sunday’s game between the Jets and Minnesota Vikings.
“Is there a Jets fan alive,” read a New York Post column, “who doesn’t crave seeing the Jets defense dismantle Kirk Cousins and the Vikings on Sunday at MetLife Stadium and then ask the Minnesota quarterback this: You like that?!?’’
Cousins used the Jets’ $90 million offer as leverage and eventually accepted Minnesota’s $84 million pact during free agency in March, intent on joining an organization ostensibly more primed for success in the near future.
While Cousins rejected New York, New York jilted a different member of the Vikings organization in the form of a 2017 trade. Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, a former Jets first-round pick, was dealt on Sept. 1, 2017 after a pair of suspensions and declining production. He spent a year in Seattle before signing a one-year deal with the Vikings to rebuild his once-high stock.
Sunday, Cousins gets to face the team he spurned, and Richardson gets to revisit the team he left on less-than-ideal terms.
Facing the criticism
No offseason decision was bigger than Cousins going to the Vikings, as it indirectly affected the path’s of Minnesota’s three free-agent quarterbacks Case Keenum, Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater — not to mention any of their potential suitors.
Locally or nationally, Cousins became the hottest sports radio talker leading up to the legal tampering period in early March.
Under the bright lights of Washington’s media market, Cousins became a divisive figure as fans — and the organization itself — debated whether he was a franchise quarterback worthy of a long-term investment, or merely a big box score.
The Redskins traded for Alex Smith in February, effectively signaling the end of Cousins’ tenure in the capital and enabling him to make a decision that would change the path of the Vikings’ organization — and perhaps enrage supporters of another.
“Criticism is going to be a part, especially when you’re going into and opposing team’s media climate,” Cousins said. “They’re going to find ways to criticize.
“Really, once I found out my former team, the Redskins, was out, it was probably a month and a half trying to gather information on all those teams that were still looking for a quarterback,” he continued. “So for a month and a half, I was really trying to dive into coaching staffs, rosters and the whole nine yards.”
In terms of skill players, both the Vikings and Jets had top receivers last year age 27 and 24, respectively. New York had Jermaine Kearse — acquired in the Richardson trade — and Robby Anderson. The Vikings had Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.
Cousins had gotten to see Thielen and Diggs up close each of the last two seasons as they combined for 429 yards in a pair of regular season meetings. Likewise, the Vikings got a close-up look of Cousins as the Redskins and Vikings split the two games.
“It was pretty impressive,” said Thielen. “I remember the last two years going to Washington, and our offense was scoring points, but they were beating us. He just kept going down and matching our touchdowns, and that’s impressive.”
Spurned by Cousins, the Jets went down the draft-and-develop path, trading four high draft picks to take Sam Darnold at third overall.
Cousins’ decision forced the Jets to find an alternate path, just as Richardson reached a fork in the road when he left New York.
‘Self-inflicted wounds’
After being selected as the 13th overall pick in 2013 and starting his career with 11.5 sacks through two seasons, Richardson missed four games in 2015 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and he missed another game to start the 2016 season for resisting arrest and leading police on a high-speed chase in 2015.
When he was dealt in hurried fashion just before the 2017 regular season, it was close to the bottom for the former Pro Bowler.
“It’s just the way it is,” said Richardson. “I did some things for me to get out of there for them to trade me, and other than that, I put it on myself, nobody else.’’
Richardson considers the trade a catalyst for a career turnaround that is still in progress in Minnesota.
“It was kind of self-inflicted wounds,” he said of his downfall in New York. “It’s just me overcoming my personal battles in life. They got me out of there, and that changed everything around there. That’s pretty much it. I pretty much grew from everywhere. Every point, every phase of my life.”
As a free agent for the first time, Richardson saw Minnesota as a place where he could continue that growth while being surrounded by a tightly-knit defensive line, strong coaching staff and brand new facilities.
“You don’t know where you’re at as far as your career,” Richardson said. “Then battling through that and landing in a good situation, a good team, good family-oriented guys, good coaching staff. Can’t really beat it.”
The day Richardson signed in Minnesota, he said he didn’t have the “vanity” of other players who seek to amass huge statistics to maximize personal gain. As head coach Mike Zimmer has attested, Richardson has done the little things well.
“His professionalism, how he handles himself in the meetings, he’s been really good with everything,” Zimmer said Wednesday. “There have been some plays that a lot of people don’t recognize that I see on tape that I’m like, ‘That is a heck of a play.'”
‘Time heals’
In the end, everybody’s path seems to be leading to a good place. Darnold has led the rebuilding Jets to a 3-3 start, including two straight wins. To fill Richardson’s void, they have another premier first-round defensive tackle in Leonard Williams.
Meanwhile, Richardson is helping solidify a banged-up Vikings defensive line, and Cousins is off to a strong start in Year 1 with Minnesota, helping Thielen make history with six straight 100-yard receiving games.
Time has passed since the Jets moved on from Richardson, while Cousins’ decision may still sting New York diehards. It’s unlikely he escapes MetLife Stadium without hearing a boo or two.
Perhaps Richardson’s advice relating to his own situation will someday apply to Cousins.
“Time heals all wounds,” Richardson said. “You’ve just got to learn how to get over things and keep moving forward. Life goes on.”
Become a Zone Coverage Member Today!
