Deion Sanders Takes Shot at Kirk Cousins
Dustin Baker
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Foremost, Deion Sanders has no formal ties to the Minnesota Vikings. His playing days plopped him in Atlanta, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington, and Baltimore – 14 total seasons. Nowadays, he is the head coach of the Jackson State Tigers, a Division I school in Mississippi.
Sanders is a man of colossal accomplishment. During his career as a player, he tabulated eight Pro Bowls, six First-Team All-Pro nods, a Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1994, and Super Bowl championships with two different teams – the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys.
When Sanders speaks, people listen.
Well, he spoke this week – about Vikings signal-caller, Kirk Cousins, among others. Sanders hosted a panel of NFL personnel on a show that included the Tennessee Titans A.J. Brown and Vikings wideout, Justin Jefferson.
“I ain’t crazy about your quarterback,” Sanders announced to Jefferson.
That is polite-speak for “your quarterback is not very good, in my opinion.”
He followed up by championing his friend and Vikings head coach, Mike Zimmer. So, there is that positivity. But the man gave a reverse-endorsement of Jefferson’s quarterback. Therefore, he is high and low on the Vikings. Sanders is lukewarm (probably putting it nicely) on Cousins and enamored with Zimmer.
To a degree, this echoes the sentiment of the Vikings fanbase, although some decry both Cousins and Zimmer. Cousins’detractors are rather boisterous, and Sanders’ confirmation of their resentments is less than ideal for Cousins enthusiasts.
Jefferson in Awkward Spot
What a strange quip to drop on a 21-year-old wide receiver.
Jefferson is embroiled in a battle [that is likely decided already] for the 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback, Justin Herbert, are the frontrunners to nab the honor. Herbert might have a slight edge as quarterbacks are usurpers of glory more so than wide receivers – at least in terms of where national kudos are showered.
The Vikings rookie handled himself with poise. He did not laugh or grimace. Nor did he outwardly defend Cousins. To interject Sanders’ soliloquy may have been out of turn or perhaps Jefferson was miffed by the commentary. In any event, Jefferson let it slide – despite the obvious awkward vibes that resonated from the assertion.
This isn’t a first for Jefferson with public relations, though. He was caught on a hot microphone during the regular season on a play that he vocally questioned a Cousins’ on-the-field decision. Soon after the game, he hopped on social media to squash any rumblings of discontentment.
Pro-Zimmer, Anti-Cousins
Sanders’ revelations are a mixed bag for Vikings loyalists. Some love Cousins but are unsatisfied with Zimmer. Others love bothmen. A sect of fans dislikes Cousins and Zimmer, while a handful dislikes Cousins but enjoy Zimmer. Welcome to Vikings fandom.
The out-of-nowhere jab at Cousins was immediately reconciled by Sanders when he proclaimed his ardor for Zimmer. This is likely the reason for Jefferson’s silence. Had the video call devolved into a Cousins angst-fest, Jefferson would be forced to weigh in. The Zimmer zeal from Sanders afforded Jefferson an escape hatch.
Too, it is understandable that Sanders is a Zimmer aficionado. Zimmer was the defensive backs coach while Sanders was a member of the Cowboys. A seldom mentioned fact: Zimmer won a Super Bowl on the coaching staff in Dallas. It was 1995, Zimmer’s second year with the organization, and the Cowboys defeated the Steelers 27-17 in Super Bowl XXX.
Why It Matters
A widespread acceptance of Cousins as a damn-good quarterback is not available. He is the only quarterback to toss 25 or more touchdowns passes in each season since 2015. No other NFL quarterback has done so. When Cousins’ achievements are exalted, naysayers retort that his talents are bolstered by practices like “garbage time” or “checkdown passes.” After those narratives are debunked with statistical proof, the doomwatchers pivot to Cousins’ “QB Record,” which is an even 51-51-2 (.500) as a starting quarterback. Cousins consistently notches Top 10 numbers for a quarterback – year in and year out – but his legitimacy is incessantly scrutinized. He may need a Chicago Cubs-like intervention, where a championship is the only vehicle to muzzle the criticism.
In 2018, Cousins joined the Vikings on a three-year agreement with all $84 million of his contract guaranteed. He was the first of his kind at the quarterback position to cement such a deal – and the pessimism on his performance has not since relented. Nevermind a walk-off playoff win as seven-point underdogs in the Superdome 12 months ago.
Fully guaranteed money is evidently an albatross, or at the very least — a license by fans to nitpick.
And now Deion Sanders is on board, too.