The best Kirk Cousins moments and quotes from Netflix's "Quarterback"
MINNEAPOLIS -- Netflix's "Quarterback" offers an inside look at Kirk Cousins' 2022 season, and there are plenty of memorable moments featuring the Vikings passer.
Below is a breakdown of the best bits from each episode.
Episode 1: "The Quest"
The first episode breaks down the media narratives around Cousins and the memes he's birthed. It also recaps the Packers-Vikings game from week 1 of 2022, Cousins' first game under new head coach Kevin O'Connell.
"Started a lot of games in this league, thrown for a lot of yards, a lot of touchdowns. But I want a lot more than just one playoff victory."
"My wife dresses me."
"I love this quote by Margaret Thatcher that says, 'If my critics saw me walking on water, they would say it's because I can't swim.'"
Episode 2: "Homecoming"
The second episode mostly focuses on Cousins' first time returning to FedEx Field since leaving Washington, a comeback win for the Vikings.
"2017, my time in Washington ran out, which was a little scary. But looking back now, five years later, coming to Minnesota was a major blessing."
"That game will always be one that I remember being that my wife and I spent so much time there for six years. And so to be able to go back and have those memories flood back was special and it was even more special to leave with a win." -- On the Vikings' comeback win in Washington.
"Memories play such a big role for me in my football journey. There are memories that bring me to tears, many times because I think back on how difficult that football experience was to go through, but then to look back and see that it just made me stronger."
"That's what they get for playing man coverage. Did we score? He's down? I would've gotten up." -- After completing a deep throw to Justin Jefferson and getting drilled.
Episode 3: "Kings of Pain"
The third episode tackles the Vikings-Bills game, which ended up being one of the NFL's best contests all year. It also highlights the physical pain Cousins and the other quarterbacks go through in a season.
"The key for me is not just being able to survive a game or the hits of a game. The challenge is can you come back six days from now and do it again and then can you do it again and again and again for an entire season?"
"I've never been to a game with an environment like that. The stands totally packed. The fans standing the entire game. It was really exciting." -- Julie Cousins, Kirk's wife, on the Bills game
"I just told Justin in the huddle, 'Hey, this is probably gonna have to be a jump ball, there's not a lot of great play designs for 4th and 18,' ... I threw it but couldn't really make sense of what was happening, so I was judging what happened based off our sideline's reaction. And I'll never forget seeing Eric Kendricks making it clear that we caught that ball. And that's kinda when I knew, when I saw Eric on the sideline reacting like that, I thought, 'Here we go.'" -- On Justin Jefferson's 4th and 18 catch against the Buffalo Bills
"By the end of the game I was just out of gas. I gave it everything I had, I got nothing left ... Crazy's a good word to describe that game. That's really not the formula to win most games. I think that more times than not you're gonna get beat." -- On the Vikings' overtime win against the Bills
"Why do this? At this point, I don't think I could walk away or stop. I think there's a part of me that would feel like a quitter. I do think there's a part of me that maybe is just sick and just likes it. I think sometimes you get hit and you like it."
"You are one friggin' tough sucker." -- Former Vikings QB Case Keenum to Cousins after the Bills game
Episode 4: "Mind Games"
The start of the episode explores complicated play calls and how Cousins digests them. It also heavily features the Vikings-Cardinals game, shown as a turning point in Minnesota's season and when Cousins began gelling with head coach Kevin O'Connell.
"F-mode a trick, cluster right tuna scram, x-steel, y-cash, can it to jacks, left cash, H-bronze." -- Cousins outlines a particularly wordy play call
Cousins says he records and listens to play calls on his phone while driving, an idea he got the idea from backup QB Nick Mullens: "That best simulates what the game is like, what you're hearing in your helmet."
"I just want to get to a place where every Sunday I feel as comfortable with the plan as I possibly can, so I can just go play and not think. But it takes a lot of work during the week to get there."
"I did feel the game against Arizona was awfully sharp, and that I was able to better understand what Kevin was looking for in a play-in and play-out basis." -- Cousins on Vikings-Cardinals game being a turning point in the season
"It just started to click. I remember walking off the field thinking, you know, being encouraged as to where our offense was going."
In a humorous moment, O'Connell reacted after Cousins ran for a touchdown: "What the f— was that?" he's heard saying on the sidelines, later telling the quarterback it was "one of most big-time plays" he had ever seen.
"What a baller." -- Julie Cousins said of the touchdown run
Episode 5: "Roller Coaster"
The first segment on Cousins focuses on the one-sided loss to the Cowboys following the emotional high of a comeback win against the Bills. The episode then focuses on how the team was able to rally in a short week against the Patriots.
"A complete disappointment. It was just a deal where I think that Buffalo game lingered a little bit just in how much it took out of us, and we weren't able to play up to the level we needed to the following Sunday." -- Cousins on the 40-3 loss to Dallas
"I keep going back, scratching my head and being like 'I feel like I've played pretty well at night games.' At home, I got a bunch of game balls NBC gives from their games – I've got five or six of them. So you're like, 'I don't think I would get those if I was struggling at night games.'" -- Cousins addresses criticism that he doesn't perform well in primetime games with Vikings playing Patriots on Thursday night
"I've always been amazed with the Patriots' ability to be a top 10 defense year after year after year. Coach Belicheck's sustained success gets in your head a little bit. In a good way where you're saying, 'I gotta be on it, because if I'm not he'll expose me.'"
"I knew I was one hit away from them being hurt again and sure enough. I reaggravated them again and was like 'here we go again' and the rest of that game was kind of gutting through it." -- Cousins on ongoing issue with ribs
"Great job. You kill us sometimes." -- Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said to Cousins following Minnesota's win
"This was the turducken. I had all of it. Had all of it." -- Cousins is heard saying in the locker room following the win
Episode 6: "Under Pressure"
This episode features some of Cousins' routines throughout the week – including one day he takes completely off during the football season – as well as the Vikings' historic comeback win over the Colts.
"If we're on a Sunday-to-Sunday schedule, unlike most starting quarterbacks, I choose to take Tuesday entirely off. About eight years ago, I made the decision that I'm going to truly rest for 24 hours a week during the season. I think at first it threw the coaches off a little bit."
"I don't know how I could do this life without Tuesday, seriously, during football season. Because that's where I get quality time with Kirk." -- Julie Cousins
"I would say there is maybe some level of just belief, that we can come back or we can make the play that's gonna be needed to be made – offense, defense, special teams. That trust mindset is important. I don't know that I've always had that." -- Cousins is heard saying to the team's psychologist before the documentary transitions to Colts game
"Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. It was kind of unbelievable, like where, just the odds. It was statistically significant that this many things would happen where we were off schedule." -- Cousins says about series of mistakes that led to team being down several scores early in the game
"That's one of the things I've learned about him is you gotta let him go through a little time, it does no good to go over there and start over-coaching him in the moment." -- O'Connell on when Cousins gets frustrated following a failed play
"Dang it. Dang it, Kirk!" -- Cousins is heard yelling on the sideline with the Colts up by 23 points in second quarter
"I remember at half-time, questioning leaving. I feel really bad saying that." -- Julie Cousins
"I don't like thinking about moments and what could come from them, because I think you can start to play worse. I think when you can stay really present-focused, you're just running the play." -- Cousins said about the team as they worked to get back in the game
"In one way you can feel vindicated that, OK, we got back. We started to find something. But part of you doesn't feel any better because unless we win, all of this feels for nothing. And so, we're going to overtime." -- Cousins on tying the game and going to OT
"Too far. Too far. It's just too far of a kick, Dennis. Needed to be closer." -- Cousins is heard saying on sideline as team preps for the game-winning kick
"I'll tell you what, the food after games this year, after home games, was outstanding. That was probably his favorite memory of the day." – Cousins on his son, Cooper, being able to eat and visit the locker room after the game
Episode 7: "Win or Go Home"
This episode focuses on Cousins and the Vikings playing the New York Giants in the first round of the playoffs.
In the week of practice leading up to the game, Cousins talks about his desire to win.
"I think at this stage of my career now, in my 11th season, I want a lot more than just one playoff victory. I want a lot more than just one division title."
"For me, at this point, all that really matters is winning. The reason I put myself through this every year is for the chance to win a Super Bowl. And to finish holding up that Lombardi trophy."
Cousins and the Vikings began the game with a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to take an early 7-0 lead.
The Vikings trailed 17-14 going into the second half.
At that point, Cousins completed 13 of 16 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. The team's defense was ailing.
As we know, the Vikings ended up losing 31-24. The play remembered most is 4th and 8 from midfield, with the Vikings needing 7 points to tie it up.
Cousins ended up throwing to T.J. Hockenson in the flat. Hockenson was well short of the line to gain.
"I felt with the rush closing in, I'm either getting sacked – or this ball is going to T.J. They're two bad options. We should have won that game."
The quarterback said that loss was probably the toughest of his career.
In the car ride home after the game, Cousins is downtrodden about the loss. You can feel the defeat in his voice.
"The hardest part is that when you go to OTAs … You know, 13 wins this year has no bearing. You're back to nothing. It's hard. It's hard to build, build, build, build, build, and then, you know, there's nothing to really build from there anymore. It's over."
Episode 8: "The Final Chapter"
This episode mainly focused on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs en route to their thrilling 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.
Every year in the week leading up to the game, the league holds its NFL Honors Award show, where awards such as the MVP and Coach of the Year get distributed.
Cousins got invited to the award show a day before. He thought he should have gotten the invite much sooner.
"We had the largest comeback in NFL History, won 13 games, and our coach is not up for Coach of the Year, and the quarterback wasn't even invited to Honors," he said.
Cousin's musical voice was featured earlier in the series, and he sang on stage at the awards.
"I just wanted to sing one quick tribute song to Tom Brady, on behalf of all the other quarterbacks in our league."
"Tom's won seven times, went to 10. He's on some beach so maybe Kirk could win."
Cousins is noticeably enjoying the moment and having a good time.
The final scene with Cousins shifts to later in the week. It shows the ceremony where he won the NFL's Bart Starr Award, given to the athlete who best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field, and in the community.
Cousins gets noticeably choked up during his acceptance speech.
"He [Starr] understood as I do today: Football will one day end. And life will be based on much more than football."
Cousins says the Starr Award is the most meaningful to him because of what it represents.
Cousins makes it clear that life outside of football is meaningful to him. He also mentions his competitive drive. "Every year, I've gone to the Super Bowl for different events, and not been a part of the game. It would be a shame to finish your career and have never gone to Super Bowl week with the right reasons: to actually play in the game. That's certainly the goal."
