Former Vikings Set to Don Different Jerseys and Numbers in 2024
The Minnesota Vikings saw a number of veteran players walk in free agency this offseason.
A few of those former Vikings, namely QB Kirk Cousins and OLB Danielle Hunter, not only will be wearing completely different jerseys during the 2024 season, but they also will be breaking out brand new jersey numbers for their new teams.
Former Vikings Will Look Very Different in 2024
Cousins, who signed with the Atlanta Falcons last week, spent the past six seasons with the Vikings. Prior to his Achilles injury in 2023, the veteran quarterback did not miss a single game due to injury, and he recorded 3500+ passing yards and 25+ passing TDs in eight consecutive years going back to his time in Washington.
Throughout his career in Minnesota, Cousins started 88 regular season games, throwing for 23,265 yards, 171 TDs, and 55 interceptions. His passing yardage total ranks third all-time in Vikings history while his passing TDs total sits in second behind only Fran Tarkenton.
This season, Cousins will look a little different than he used to. After wearing #8 for almost all of his first 12 seasons in the NFL, the QB is now going to be donning #18 in Atlanta. The Falcons announced the decision via a tweet earlier this week.
As for Hunter, he signed a two-year contract worth up to $51 million with the Houston Texans, including $48 million in guarantees after spending each of his first nine NFL seasons with the Vikings.
He has been a major part of the Vikings’ success in the past decade, being a part of four separate playoff runs, including the 2017 run to the NFC Championship Game. Hunter posted double-digit sacks during five of his nine years in Minnesota, and at 87.5 sacks over his career, he ranks sixth all-time in Vikings franchise history. He surpassed Jared Allen during the 2023 season in which he put up a career-high 16.5 sacks.
Hunter has donned the #99 jersey throughout his Vikings career, but this year, that is changing along with his team. The pass rusher will be wearing #55 in Houston. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweeted earlier this week, “#Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter said 99 is J.J. Watt’s number: ‘I’m not even going to mess with it. I’ll leave that to him. I’ve decided to possibly go with No. 55’ @KPRC2.”
Watt, of course, wore #99 throughout his 10-year career in Houston, and he recorded 531 tackles, 172 tackles for loss, 101 sacks, 25 forced fumbles, 61 passes defended, and two interceptions. Watt finished his Texans career as the franchise leader in tackles for loss, sacks, and forced fumbles.
In a class act, Hunter will leave that number untouched and change to a brand new jersey. And while it may just be a coincidence, Anthony Barr and Za’Darius Smith are recent Vikings to have worn #55 while working alongside Hunter.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.