For six seasons of his NFL career, Kirk Cousins suited up as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. On Sunday, Cousins will take the field as a member of the visiting team for the first time inside U.S. Bank Stadium when he attempts to help the Atlanta Falcons beat the Vikings.
Given the amount of time he spent with the organization, it's no surprise that the veteran quarterback will be dealing with a variety of emotions when he faces Minnesota this weekend. On Wednesday, Cousins shared what he believes will be one of the biggest emotions he'll experience on Sunday.
"I think the emotion is really gratitude. That’s kind of the word that comes to mind is just gratitude. When I arrived as a free agent, they took a chance on me, ownership took a chance on me, the organization did .
And I think just so many teammates who gave so much to help me, coaches who gave so much to help me, even support staff, from nutrition to the weight room to equipment to the training room. They really got me through my Achilles tear. From the moment I tore it until I left in free agency, they just handled everything so well in the training room.
So, you just feel so much gratitude for those people, and I think that’s really the main emotion you feel.”
Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins expecting to deal with a loud Minnesota Vikings crowd in Week 14
Cousins is very familiar with how loud it can get inside U.S. Bank Stadium for Minnesota's opponents, and it seems like he's expecting Vikings fans to make it deafening inside the building during Sunday's matchup.
"They're great fans. They're great football fans, and I would think, as a result, they'll make it as hostile as they can for us. It's a great fan base."
The former Minnesota quarterback is coming off one of the worst games of his pro career, as he tossed four interceptions in the Falcons' Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday.
Cousins will be looking to bounce back when he faces his former team this weekend, but the Vikings and their fans will be doing their best to make sure that doesn't happen.