Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is expected to become a free agent this offseason for the third time since 2018. There have been no indications that Cousins is ready to close the door on his NFL career, but the threat of the current Atlanta Falcons quarterback retiring for a cushy TV job is something that he's probably going to be able to use in contract negotiations.
Cousins has been dabbling in the world of working as an NFL analyst for a major TV network for the past two years, and to be quite honest, he's really good at it.
Most recently, a clip of him talking about the uniqueness of the Seattle Seahawks' defense during an appearance on the "Friends From Work" podcast has gained a lot of attention because of how well Cousins is able to articulate the complexity of a modern NFL defense.
NFL defenses have gotten more complex. @KirkCousins8 breaks down what makes facing teams like #seattle so difficult. @KyleSchonewill @granthpaulsen #seahawks #podcast #nfl #football pic.twitter.com/ErhSEUtijy
— Friends From Work (@TheFFWPodcast) February 20, 2026
Of course former Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins is going to have leverage in free agency
Cousins is 37-years-old and he's been in the NFL since 2012. During his time in the league, he's accumulated more than $321 million in career earnings.
So, it's not like Cousins is desperate to remain in the NFL for another season, but it seems like he still wants to keep playing. At the same time, however, he's not going to just sign any contract that gets offered to him this offseason.
A return to Minnesota has been a rumor surrounding Cousins for the last few weeks, and most Vikings fans have probably assumed that he's going to be much cheaper than the last time he was wearing purple and gold.
But it's starting to sound like that might not be the case.
A few days ago, the Pioneer Press‘s Charley Walters reported that Cousins could be in search of a one-year deal worth around $20 million with a team that will guarantee him to be the Week 1 starter.
If no team is willing to meet those rumored requirements, then he'll likely end up joining one of the major TV networks as an NFL analyst.
Will there be a team in the NFL that's desperate enough to meet Cousins' alleged demands this offseason? Or will the veteran quarterback take his talents to a TV studio for the 2026 season?