7 tantalizing Kirk Cousins takeaways from Netflix’s ‘Quarterback'

What are some of the most notable moments from the Netflix docuseries "Quarterback" featuring Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins?

Last Wednesday, Netflix released the highly anticipated "Quarterback" docuseries, which followed three NFL signal-callers during the 2022 season, including Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Obviously, we already know how the 2022 campaign went for Cousins and the Vikings. But "Quarterback" was able to provide a more behind-the-scenes look at how everything went for Minnesota and their veteran passer.

In addition to some intriguing interactions with Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell on the sidelines, the Netflix docuseries also provided a rare glimpse at Cousins' life at home as a father and a husband.

Since the release of the show, the reactions to the portions featuring the Minnesota quarterback have been mostly positive. Cousins might have even picked up a few more fans that will be rooting for him during the upcoming 2023 season.

So looking back at all eight episodes of the "Quarterback" docuseries, let's go over some of the biggest takeaways, starting with Cousins somehow surviving a constant beating from opposing defenses last season.

Takeaway No. 1

Kirk Cousins is even tougher than we thought

The statistics from last season already told us that no quarterback in the NFL was hit more than Kirk Cousins last season. But "Quarterback" provided a much more detailed look at just how much of a punishment Cousins took each week in 2022.

One of the hits that stands out the most happened during Minnesota's Week 9 win over the Washington Commanders.

Cousins was able to connect with Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson on a 47-yard pass, but after letting go of the football, the veteran quarterback was delivered a big shot to the ribs from Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne.

Cousins ended up getting hit 11 times during that win over Washington, and that left him with some significantly sore ribs for the rest of the season. There were other big hits on Cousins that the docuseries featured, and each time, the quarterback found a way to practice each week and be ready for the following game.

Takeaway No. 2

Kevin O'Connell is the perfect coach for Kirk Cousins

Building any sort of relationship with Kirk Cousins wasn't exactly a priority for former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer during their time together from 2018 to 2021.

But when Kevin O'Connell was brought in as Minnesota's new head coach last season, it was very clear from the start that Cousins was one of his top priorities.

The difference in coaching styles between Zimmer and O'Connell is basically night and day and that was made even more evident with some of the content that was featured in the "Quarterback" docuseries.

Whenever Cousins would make a mistake last season, O'Connell wouldn't berate him on the sidelines or anything like that. He would just calmly ask his quarterback the necessary questions to figure out how a problem was created and whether or not it can be fixed.

O'Connell also became useful for Cousins during moments of frustration. At times, the veteran quarterback can have a pessimistic approach to certain situations if things don't go his way. So during some of these moments last season, O'Connell would take the opportunity to help Cousins calm down and remind him that solutions could still be had.

They've only worked together for one season, but O'Connell has already shown that he is a much better fit as a head coach for a quarterback like Cousins than the guy who previously had the head coaching job in Minnesota.

Takeaway No. 3

Kirk Cousins almost lost the game vs. the Bills

Minnesota's Week 10 win over the Buffalo Bills was one of the best games of the 2022 season. It had so many highs and lows, and luckily, the Vikings found a way to come out on top.

However, Minnesota almost didn't get the win due to a decision made by Kirk Cousins in the fourth quarter of the matchup.

Facing a 4th-and-Goal from the Bills' 1-yard line, the Vikings attempted to run a quarterback sneak up the middle, but Cousins was stopped just short of the goal line.

Thanks to a sideline conversation that the "Quarterback" docuseries included from the game, we now know that Cousins was the one who called for the QB sneak at the goal line and not head coach Kevin O'Connell.

After finding out Cousins called the unsuccessful play on his own, O'Connell told the quarterback that he "was going to call timeout" before the ball was snapped. Cousins said he couldn't hear the head coach before calling the play, and he took the blame for the mistake.

Luckily, Minnesota was able to still win the game and make up for Cousins' mistake. But that was almost a very costly decision made by the Vikings quarterback.

Takeaway No. 4

Kirk Cousins is the polar opposite of Patrick Mahomes

In addition to Kirk Cousins, Patrick Mahomes and Marcus Mariota were also featured in the "Quarterback" docuseries. Mahomes, of course, had another magical season with the Kansas City Chiefs that resulted in a Super Bowl victory, and Mariota had a year to forget with the Atlanta Falcons.

Specifically, when it came to Mahomes and Cousins, there might not be two more opposite quarterbacks in the entire NFL.

The Chiefs quarterback spends his game talking trash to opponents, throwing no-look passes, and motivating his teammates on the sidelines. While the Minnesota signal-caller really lets his play do most of the talking.

Their off-the-field personas are quite different as well. Mahomes makes it well known that he has a massive amount of money with his designer clothes and a giant mansion that he had built in Kansas City last year, which includes his own football field.

Meanwhile, Cousins' wife dresses him like he's the dad in a 90s TV sitcom, and he spent the night after Minnesota's playoff loss to the New York Giants last season giving his kids a bath and reading them stories before their bedtime.

Two totally different approaches to life and to football, but Mahomes and Cousins have each found their own way of achieving success in their NFL careers.

Takeaway No. 5

Kirk Cousins takes a full 24 hours off from football each week

In episode six of the "Quarterback" docuseries, Kirk Cousins shared that he made a decision eight years ago to "truly rest for 24 hours a week during the season."

So every Tuesday, Cousins said he'll "do anything that isn't football," and instead, he fills up his time by doing things like taking his dog out for a walk with his wife Julie, hanging out with his two boys, and answering fan mail.

Julie shared that she doesn't know if she "could do this life without Tuesday" because that is the day during the season when she gets "quality time with Kirk."

Former NFL quarterbacks from 10 or 20 years ago might laugh at the idea of giving up a whole day of preparation during the season. But this is a different time and players value their mental well-being more than ever.

If Cousins feels he needs to spend a full 24 hours away from football in order to be the best quarterback that he can be, then that's what he needs to do.

We always hear about how much time away from their families NFL players typically have to sacrifice during the season. So it's refreshing to find out that Cousins places an emphasis on making sure he has at least one day of quality time with the people he loves the most each week.

Takeaway No. 6

Kirk Cousins didn't celebrate getting drafted in 2012

For most NFL players, the day they were drafted into the league was one of the happiest moments of their lives. This wasn't the case for Kirk Cousins though.

In episode two of the docuseries, Cousins shared that he was "shocked" when he was selected by Washington just three rounds after they had selected quarterback Robert Griffin III in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Cousins said that he didn't really celebrate getting drafted because he "interpreted it as a strange selection [and] somewhat of a dead end."

That was certainly disappointing to hear that the current Vikings quarterback didn't really get to enjoy fulfilling a goal of getting selected in the NFL Draft. But can anyone really blame him?

Cousins was hoping to land with a team where he could compete to possibly be a starter, and instead, he landed with a franchise that clearly just wanted him to be their backup behind Griffin.

Takeaway No. 7

Kirk Cousins gets in his own way

During his NFL career as a full-time starter, Kirk Cousins has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league.

So sometimes it's difficult to understand why Cousins' individual performance hasn't really translated to more success for the teams that he's played for.

"Quarterback" offered a bit of a glimpse into what might be holding Cousins back though, which is himself.

Because he doesn't have the strongest arm or an elite rushing ability, the Vikings quarterback prides himself on being as prepared as he possibly can for every situation that he could potentially face during a game.

Cousins has a bit of a perfectionist mentality, and sometimes, that attempt at perfection prevents him from taking more risks out on the field.

This mentality can also cause the quarterback to get overly frustrated at times during a game if things don't go according to plan. There were times during the docuseries when it seemed like Cousins let some of his mistakes get the best of him, and it resulted in him being quiet and dismissive of his teammates on the sidelines.

During parts of the 2022 season, it seemed like Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell was able to get through to Cousins and convince him to take more risks. But then there were also times in which the old Cousins would reappear, and fewer risks were taken.

Hopefully, O'Connell can continue to get his quarterback to come out of his shell and not be so concerned about making a mistake next season. Otherwise, the Vikings could decide to just find someone new who is more willing to throw the ball up to Justin Jefferson, even if he's double-covered, when the game is on the line.