Vikings Player Wear Kirk Cousins Shirts Before Falcons Game In Honor Of Injured Quarterback

The Minnesota Vikings showed their support for their injured quarterback Kirk Cousins by wearing shirts with his name and number before their game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Cousins, who tore his Achilles tendon last week, is out for the season and faces an uncertain future as he enters free agency in 2024. The Vikings players wanted to let him know that they are still behind him and appreciate his contributions to the team.

Cousins’ injury and impact

Cousins suffered the devastating injury in the fourth quarter of the Vikings’ 24-10 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field last Sunday. He was looking to throw on a third-and-19 play when he went down for a 4-yard loss. He limped off the field as the Vikings field goal unit came out onto the field. The team announced on Monday that an MRI exam confirmed Cousins had torn the Achilles’ tendon in his right leg and that he would need surgery.

Cousins, 35, is in the final year of his contract with the Vikings, which he signed in 2018 as a free agent. He has been one of the most durable and consistent quarterbacks in the league, starting 87 games for the Vikings since 2018 and missing only two starts during that span: one when the team rested its starters in the 2019 campaign and another in 2021 after testing positive for COVID-19. He has thrown for 18,786 yards, 122 touchdowns and 46 interceptions with a 67.9% completion rate and a 99.6 passer rating as a Viking.

Cousins’ injury leaves the Vikings with a big question mark at the quarterback position, both for the rest of this season and beyond. The team traded for Joshua Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals on Tuesday, but he is unlikely to be ready to start anytime soon. The team will turn to Jaren Hall, a fifth-round rookie out of BYU, who stepped in for Cousins last week and completed 3 of 4 passes for 23 yards. Hall will make his first NFL start against the Falcons on Sunday.

Vikings players’ tribute to Cousins

In their first game without Kirk Cousins… #Vikings players are honoring their starting QB in warmups. Love it. pic.twitter.com/NW87RQt7Bt

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 5, 2023

The Vikings players decided to honor Cousins by wearing shirts with his name and number 8 on the front and the words “We got you” on the back. The shirts were designed by wide receiver Adam Thielen, who is one of Cousins’ closest friends and favorite targets on the team. Thielen said that he wanted to do something to show Cousins that he is still part of the team and that they are thinking of him.

“We just wanted to show him some love and let him know that we’re here for him and we’re going to fight for him,” Thielen said. “He’s been such a great leader for us and such a great teammate. He’s done so much for this organization and this team. We just wanted to let him know that we appreciate him and we’re going to miss him.”

Order this Kirk Cousins Shirt here.

Thielen was not the only one who wore the shirt. Several other players, including running back Dalvin Cook, tight end T.J. Hockenson, linebacker Eric Kendricks and safety Harrison Smith, also sported the shirt during the pregame warmups. The team also posted a photo of the players wearing the shirt on their official Twitter account with the caption “We got you, 8” and tagged Cousins.

Rookie QB Jaren Hall prepares for his first career start for the Vikings pic.twitter.com/dx0kqErJRj

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 5, 2023

Cousins’ reaction and gratitude

Cousins, who is recovering from his surgery, saw the gesture and expressed his gratitude on his social media accounts. He posted a photo of himself giving a thumbs up in a hospital bed with a purple cast on his right leg and thanked the fans, the team and the medical staff for their prayers and support. He also reposted the photo of the players wearing the shirt and wrote “Love these guys” with a heart emoji.

Cousins also appeared on the Vikings’ pregame radio show and thanked the players for wearing the shirt. He said that he was touched by the tribute and that it meant a lot to him.

“It’s very humbling. It’s very kind of them,” Cousins said. “It shows the kind of teammates I have and the kind of locker room we have. I’m very grateful for them and I’m very proud of them.”

Cousins said that he is optimistic about his recovery and that he hopes to play again next season. He said that he is not worried about his contract situation and that he trusts God’s plan for his future.

“I’m just going to take it one day at a time and trust that God has a plan for me and my family,” Cousins said. “I love playing this game. I love being a Viking. I love being a part of this organization. I’m just going to focus on getting healthy and getting back on the field as soon as I can.”