Kirk Cousins

BIOGRAPHY

Kirk Daniel Cousins, hailing from Barrington, Illinois, was born on August 19, 1988, and made his mark as an American professional football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He significantly stands fifth all-time in completion percentage with a minimum of 1,500 pass attempts and is placed eighth in the NFL’s all-time regular season career passer rating list.

Coming from a background of sporting parents, Don and Maryann Cousins, Kirk was the second eldest among their three kids. After breaking his ankle junior year, he attended camps, used his third baseman and pitcher experience in baseball and finished his high school football career with 3,204 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions.

College years saw Cousins play for the Michigan State Spartans and his perseverance led him to be chosen by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft. Prior to the draft, he was set to sign with Toledo or Western Michigan, until a change of head coach at Michigan State opened up a scholarship for him. He redshirted the 2007 season and spent 2008 as the backup football quarterback. By the following year, he won the team’s starting quarterback position, leading to a 6-7 season with 19 touchdowns, nine interceptions, and 2,680 passing yards in 12 games. Proving his excellence further, he earned the Big Ten Conference Championship in 2010.

In 2011, he led the Spartans to the Big Ten Football Championship Game, leading the conference in pass completions, pass attempts, and passing yards. He graduated as an undefeated player against the in-state rival Michigan Wolverines, majored in kinesiology, and was awarded the 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

With his selection in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft, Cousins made his debut for the Washington Redskins, backing Robert Griffin III. The pick was seen as insurance in case Griffin got injured as they had previously given the St. Louis Rams four high-value draft picks to acquire him. Cousins shined in the preseason games, and against the Chicago Bears, Cousins threw three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. He was named the backup quarterback and made his NFL debut in the third quarter of a Week 5 loss to the Atlanta Falcons after Griffin suffered a concussion. In 2013, Cousins was named the starting quarterback for the rest of the year after Griffin was deactivated for the rest of the season to preserve his health for the next year.

In 2014, Cousins threw for over 400 passing yards for the first time in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite achieving two touchdowns without an interception, the Redskins lost. Cousins’ performance was unstable that season, with impressive games followed by poor showings. He was benched after the first half of a game against the Tennessee Titans.

Cousins started as the official quarterback for the 2015 season, which proved to be an exemplary time for him. He demonstrated leadership and strategic proficiency, particularly in an impressive comeback win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He echoed the performance during their largest comeback win in franchise history by concluding the game with four total touchdowns, earning him the prestigious NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Later in the season, Cousins threw for a career-high four touchdowns and he became the first Redskins quarterback since 1950 to achieve a perfect passer rating of 158.3. The remarkable season ended with Cousins setting the Redskins single-season passing yardage record.

Following a few years of contract disagreements with the Redskins, Cousins signed a fully guaranteed three-year US$84 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018. With the Vikings, Cousins earned the team’s third all-time passing yards list in his six seasons, also receiving three Pro Bowl selections.

In 2024, Cousins joined the Atlanta Falcons, where he made an excellent impression in the world of American Professional Football by showcasing his top-tier skills, competing in the highest level of play in American football, and racking up numerous notable achievements in his career so far. His impressive record marked by exceptional prowess and mettle exemplifies the extent of his noteworthy contributions to the sport.

Sources:

[2] Completion percentage
[3] Kirk – Parents
[4] Birthplace
[5] Birthdate
[6] High school career and injury
[7] High school stats
[8] College redshirt season
[9][10] College 2008 season
[11] College 2009 season
[12][13][14] College 2010 season
[15][16] College 2011 season
[17] 2011 Passing Stats
[18] College final game
[19] In-state rival record
[20] Senior CLASS Award
[21] College Major.