Kirk Cousins is many things. An MVP candidate? Depends on who you ask. A fashion icon? That Kohl’s Cash is burning a hole in his pocket. However, one thing that is not up for debate is his toughness and how much of a pummeling he’s taken so far this season.
Through 15 games, Cousins has been hit 125 times. Since 2000, no other quarterback has been fricked up more than that — and there’s still two games remaining.
Cousins’ toughness and ironman reputation were well known before 2022, but it’s been on full display this season. He’s been bombarded like no one else, and he still hasn’t missed a game. He’s been sacked 44 times, which is already a career-high, and he will almost certainly add a few more to that total before the season’s end. Cousins is also the fifth-most pressured quarterback in the league despite having arguably the best offensive line he’s had since arriving in Minnesota.
So, what gives? How is Kirk tossed around like a ragdoll every game? One culprit inflating the numbers could be Minnesota’s play-action game. The Vikings lead the league with 178 pass attempts. That’s a lot of unprotected naked boots where Cousins hanging in and taking a hit isn’t necessarily the offensive line’s fault. Cousins has never been one to give up on a play. Although he isn’t scrambling around the backfield like Patrick Mahomes or a throwback Russell Wilson, he buys milliseconds by holding the ball as long as he possibly can to let routes develop. While holding the ball is typically a quarterback insult, he’s doing what the play needs despite his lack of shiftiness in these cases.
A perfect example of this was the huge gain to Jalen Reagor in the New York Jets game.
Cousins sees Reagor flash open and still winds up with all he has despite knowing a monster hit is coming. Most quarterbacks would have taken a dive on this play, but Cousins turned it into a huge gain. It’s plays like this that also could inflate his hit numbers and just shows that his toughness and willingness to step into throws largely go unnoticed by the national media. Maybe his giant flak jacket under that No. 8 should be considered for MVP.
This constant peppering has to take its toll, though. Those hits start to add up over a long season. Cousins even admitted as much after that Jets game. “Hey, I’m in a car accident every week, and you’ve got to put me back together on Monday and on Friday, and it’s kind of like getting an oil change,” he said. “You go back, and you get put back together, and then you get ready for the next car accident.” Cousins plays at around 200 lbs., which is on the lighter side for quarterbacks. That he has taken 125 hits from players who are often 100 lbs. heavier than him and popped right back up after 124 of them is frankly unbelievable.
Another example of his durability is last week’s New York Giants matchup, where the offensive line isn’t necessarily a sieve. Rather, Kirk just hangs tough until a receiver gets open.
Again, tell me how many quarterbacks in the league would step into this throw like that? I’ll wait.
The offensive line isn’t perfect, but they have played fairly well this season. Some of those sack and hit numbers fall on play-calling and Cousins holding on until the last second until Justin Jefferson or Reagor flashes open. It will take a combination of the offensive line, Kevin O’Connell’s play-calling, and Cousins’ mobility to protect him better because it is definitely not sustainable. Even Ironman Kirk will take one too many hits someday, and the Vikings will be looking at a Nick Mullens-led future.
Cousins might be too tough for his own good, and the Vikings have become accustomed to the punishment he takes every game. It’s time there’s a concerted effort to keep him upright because right now, he’s getting killed faster than a Chandon Sullivan fumble recovery back there. It’s great to see the team doing whatever it takes to win and that their chemistry and camaraderie has been off the charts this year. But at some point, they need to consider that losing Cousins to one of these vicious hits could cost an already historic season.
Availability is the best ability, and in Kirk Cousins’ case, many fans probably take that for granted. He’s as tough as they come, but something has to give, and we’d much prefer it be his hits rather than his ribs.
