Kirk Cousins Was Asked About a Vikings Reunion
The Minnesota Vikings remain in the market for quarterback help after an uneven 2025 season, and one familiar name continues to surface in that conversation.
During Super Bowl week media appearances, former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was asked directly about a possible return to Minnesota — a question he answered without closing any doors.
In an episode of PFT Live, Cousins was asked by Mike Florio about a return to the Twin Cities.
His primary response was paired with a smile, “We’ll see. We’ll see.”
Then, he explained that he doesn’t know what the future would hold for him, “I think my expectation is to not expect anything. Because it’s been such a journey for me, where the minute you start to say, ‘Oh I think it’s going to go this way.’ You get proven wrong. So, I’ll keep an open mind. Kind of be ready for whatever may happen. I still think it’s really early and when we get to March we’ll know more, have some substantive conversations, and kind of see where it goes.”
For the Vikings, the timing matters. Cousins is approaching a contract decision in March, and Minnesota has been clear about adding competition in the QB room.
Players often learn more about their future around the scouting combine, when executives and agents speak informally behind the scenes. Cousins has firsthand experience with how that process can cross league lines, something that previously resulted in a tampering penalty for Atlanta.
Cousins continued, “But I’m very aware from my own lived experience that it can go any number of ways. I’m going to try to keep an open mind, but would love to get an opportunity next year to play and compete and be part of a team trying to make a run.”
The four-time Pro Bowler has an uncertain future as he enters the third season of his $180 million, four-year contract. A decision is expected in March because a significant portion of his salary will become guaranteed at that time.
Most reports lean toward a release, though it’s unclear how Kevin Stefanski’s arrival as the new head coach will affect the decision. The coach and the passer have history with the Vikings.
His main priority should be to get the most out of 2024 first-rounder Michael Penix, who’s currently recovering from a torn ACL — another element that cannot be ignored in the conversation about Cousins’ future. Just like the Vikings, the Falcons need a strong backup, too. The question is whether they are ready to swallow Cousins’s monster salary for another year.
At the age of 37, Cousins isn’t getting any younger, but he implied that he doesn’t think retirement is part of his near future, pointing to the solid play he displayed later in the season during Atlanta’s winning streak.
After mentioning earlier that he’d love to have the opportunity to play in 2026, he added, “At this point, it’s too early where you have to keep an open mind. I think as you get closer, you can start to narrow it down. But right now, it’s just keep an open mind and not rule anything out.”
The Vikings are certainly an organization he’s looking for. McCarthy has only ten games under his belt, as injuries keep derailing his development. His play was too inconsistent to solely rely on the 10th overall pick from two years ago. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has emphasized that bringing in competition at quarterback will be a priority this offseason.
In 2025, Cousins appeared in 10 games, starting 8 of them with a 5-3 record. He completed 61.7% of his passes for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns and 5 picks. His numbers suggest his play was meaningfully better than Minnesota’s QBs.
Cousins checks several boxes for the Vikings, especially as they look to stabilize the quarterback position behind a still-developing McCarthy. Until Minnesota’s plans become clearer in March, his name is unlikely to leave the rumor cycle.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.