Kirk Cousins has made Justin Jefferson laugh. Jefferson remembers what he said but won’t tell us until we’re older.
“Those jokes are just to laugh at for right now,” said Jefferson, chuckling. “Once I get a little older, I might bring them out the bag.”
Curious, I pressed. What could Cousins have possibly said that made you laugh?
“I can’t tell y’all, man,” Jefferson insisted. “You know what I’m saying? It ain’t going to be a joke. You know what I’m saying? I want it to be later on when I get older, and I can come on here and tell y’all the joke.
“And then it’s really going to be funny. But me telling it right now, it’s not going to be funny.”
It’s probably a dad joke. We’re talking about Kirk Cousins, after all. He’s a dad joke personified. Kohl’s Cash is his crypto. He’s the alpha goober, and corny humor is his love language.
But what could Cousins have possibly said to Jefferson that was so funny that Jets stored it in his black box? Do we have to wait until he lands the plane and reminisces about his playing days to hear it? What if he goes MH370 on us, retiring to a life of solitude on the bayou?
We may never find out.
Cousins not only passed along jokes; he helped form Jefferson as a player. He always wanted Jefferson to avoid “alligator arms.” Cousins told Jefferson to reach for the ball, even when he knew an opponent was about to hit him. He also emphasized finishing off plays. Cousins asked Jefferson to drive toward the end zone, guaranteeing a score rather than relying on red-zone offense.
Most of all, Jefferson appreciated how much effort Cousins put into preparing for games.
“There’s a lot of jokes that I learned from Kirk,” said Jefferson. “But just seeing him and seeing his day-to-day routine and seeing how he comes to work every day and how he’s on the playbook and how he’s studying hard every single day and how he’s so much into the ‘book. I love that about him, and just his work ethic and just him as a person is great always.”
Jefferson also liked that he could be himself around Cousins.
“It’s always great to have a quarterback that you can joke around with and be yourself with,” said Jefferson. “Just to have his locker right next to mine and to talk to him every single day and be with him every day. It was definitely a great experience.”
Jefferson respects Cousins but hasn’t talked to him since he signed with the Atlanta Falcons.
“Not really,” said Jefferson. “We probably share a message or two, be thanking him for the start and everything.
“But I always respect Kirk and always will be thankful for what he has done for me. So, I feel like I didn’t even have to share that message with him. He already knows how I feel about him.”
Cousins’ most famous pass to Jefferson was the miracle catch in Buffalo. However, his favorite was his first touchdown catch against the Tennesee Titans in Week 3.
“I feel like my first touchdown will always be rememberable,” he said. “Just the whole vibe of being COVID, being first into the league, not having any fans into the stadium. And it being my first start and having 175 yards, just that whole ordeal was just crazy.
“And for that to be my first touchdown, I feel like that catch will always be remembered.”
Jefferson’s success feels inevitable, given his natural ability and route-running. Still, Cousins helped him become the player he is today. Whether reminding him not to have alligator arms or telling him an alligator joke, Jefferson feels he has something to take with him. Something he feels will grow with age.
