Video Kirk Cousins Talks Vikings Return, Familiarity with Offense & Credits Defense for BIG Win vs Packers Kirk Cousins spoke with Kristina Pink following the Minnesota Vikings' 30-10 win over the Green Bay Packers.
We found out a lot about Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday because it is hard to add a new quarterback on a Tuesday, have him in full practices only two days during the week, and by week's end win a game in a football mecca where Lombardi earned his reputation.
All that happened Sunday when the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers.
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But of all the things we learned from this game, maybe the most important is that Cousins and the Vikings maybe should not have broken up a couple of years ago.
Perhaps they shouldn't have gone looking for greener pastures, shouldn't have believed for better outcomes, should not have not have quit on each other and the pretty good thing they had.
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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins looks to throw in the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Nov. 15, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Vikings and Cousins are together again. They're reunited and after winning in Lambeau Field, they both feel so good.
"It's been a blast to do ball with him again," coach Kevin O'Connell said afterward.
"Football's an emotional game, and my football journey goes way back, and, you know, there's been highs and lows," Cousins told reporters after the victory. "And there's more of the story to write up ahead, but the last three years since being here have been a tough three years.
"And, there's a lot of gratitude right now for being in this group again."
The story of the misguided direction the Vikings and Cousins took after their breakup in March of 2024 is well chronicled.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell claps to the crowd before the game against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium. (Brad Rempel/Imagn Images)
Cousins went to the Atlanta Falcons as a high-priced free agent, believing he could ultimately finish his career there. But that changed when weeks after signing him, the Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the draft and anointed the rookie their starter before that very season was over.
Cousins sat much of 2025, and then went to the Raiders last offseason knowing he was keeping the starter's seat warm for Fernando Mendoza. Little did he know that seat would be pulled out from under him last week.
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The Vikings? They didn't move on from Cousins to live happily ever after.
When Cousins left in 2024, the Vikings thought replacing him wasn't an issue. They had found Sam Darnold in 2024, they were getting ready to draft J.J. McCarthy in the first round, and there was a certain arrogance within the organization that they could find someone anyone and turn him into a treasure.
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But then Darnold left. And McCarthy didn't work out. And Carson Wentz didn't work out. and Kyler Murray didn't work out earlier this season.
And after those missteps, the Vikings decided last week that Cousins was their best option once again – just as he'd been from 2018 to 2023.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins looks to throw in the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Nov. 15, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
And Cousin showed he's all of that in this one game.
Cousins was already an upgrade by the time the Vikings held a 20-0 lead in the third quarter and scored twice more when the Packers tried to rally.
And, yes, we know ... That is not exactly Super Bowl caliber quarterback play we saw from Cousins because he did throw an interception and he still has to clean up some stuff.
But having Cousins at quarterback clearly raised the Vikings' hopes. Justin Jefferson played with energy again. The offense could run the ball better because the Packers had to respect the passing game.
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And the defense that is among the best in the NFL sacked Jordan Love eight times – the most by any team in a game this season – because the unit was in the mostly unfamiliar spot of playing with a lead.
"I thought for one of the first times this year we played complimentary football," O'Connell said.
Cousins was careful when it was over to remind everyone that the story of his return and this Vikings' season is not fully written. But we have a good start to the tale:
It begins with the fact this combination maybe would have been better off staying together.
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