Kirk Cousins Injury News & Updates

Cousins could serve as Atlanta's starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2025 campaign with Michael Penix (knee) feared to have sustained a season-ending injury during Sunday's 30-27 overtime loss to the Panthers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Cousin entered Sunday's loss to Carolina in relief of Penix in the third quarter, completing six of 14 passes for 48 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, while rushing once for two yards. Previously, Cousins started Week 8 against the Dolphins with Penix sidelined due to a bone bruise, completing 21 of 31 pass attempts for 173 yards and again being held without a TD or INT. Penix is reportedly seeking a second opinion on his knee injury, but if an issue of season-ending severity is indeed confirmed, Cousins will take over under center for Atlanta beginning Week 12 on the road versus New Orleans. At this stage, the 37-year-old signal-caller hasn't yet demonstrated enough fantasy upside to warrant starter consideration in single-QB formats, and his prospects will be further diminished if Drake London (knee) misses any time.

Cousins completed six of 14 passes for 48 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions and added one rush for two yards in the Falcons' 30-27 overtime loss to the Panthers on Sunday.

Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports Michael Penix suffered a right knee injury in the third quarter on a hit he took on an incomplete pass. That led to Cousins seeing his second dose of extended action this season, and although his final line underscores the fact he was relatively ineffective, he did manage to lead Atlanta to two field goals, including the game-tying kick with 16 seconds remaining in regulation. If Penix is ultimately unable to suit up for next Sunday's road divisional clash against the Saints, Cousins would be in line to draw his second start of the season.

Cousins will move back to the No. 2 QB role Sunday at New England with Michael Penix (knee) not receiving a designation for that contest

Cousins earned a spot start for Penix this past Sunday against the Dolphins due to the latter's bone bruise in his knee, but the former didn't fare well, completing 21 of 31 passes for 173 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions and rushing twice for two yards in a 34-10 loss. This week, Penix followed up limited practices Wednesday and Thursday with a full session Friday, thereby clearing him to return to action. Cousins likely won't see the field Sunday, barring an injury setback to Penix or a garbage-time appearance.

Cousins completed 21 of 31 passes for 173 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions while rushing twice for two yards in the Falcons' 34-10 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday.

Making his first start since Week 15 of last season, Cousins understandably had some rust to work through, and he also had the disadvantage of having to operate without No. 1 receiver Drake London (hip). Cousins eventually developed a bit of rhythm as the game went on, but he averaged just 5.6 yards per attempt and focused the overwhelming majority of his attention on Kyle Pitts. Cousins could certainly be better now that he has a game under his belt and with another week of practice -- not to mention with London at his disposal -- but it remains to be seen if he'll have that opportunity in a Week 9 road matchup against the Patriots or whether Penix will be healthy enough to start that game.

Cousins will start Sunday's game against the Dolphins with Michael Penix (knee) inactive, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

Penix came out of last Sunday's defeat in San Francisco with a bone bruise in his knee that limited him in practice Wednesday through Friday and resulted in a questionable tag for Week 8 action. Adam Schefter of ESPN then reported Saturday morning that Cousins likely was going to start for Penix, before reporting later Saturday that Cousins was in line to direct the Falcons offense this weekend. With Penix's lack of availability confirmed, Cousins will earn his first start since Week 15 of last season, but he'll be without top WR Drake London due to a hip injury.

Cousins will start Sunday's game against Miami, as Michael Penix will be sidelined due to a knee injury, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Penix logged a trio of limited practices during the week and was deemed questionable on Atlanta's final injury report Friday. However, news emerged early Saturday that the second-year QB was trending toward sitting out, and that now appears to be confirmed, per Schefter's sources. As a result, Cousins is in line to make his first start of the season. In his only appearance so far, he completed five of seven pass attempts for 29 yards in mop-up duty against Carolina in Week 3.

With Michael Penix recovering from a bone bruise in his knee, Cousins is "highly likely" to start against the Dolphins on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

While Penix had his practice reps limited all week, Cousins was the one who worked with the first-team offense, which puts the veteran quarterback in line to make his first start of the 2025 regular season. Cousins started in the first 14 games of the 2024 regular season before Penix took over for the final three contests of the year. Cousins' lone appearance in 2025 came during the Falcons' Week 3 blowout loss to the Panthers, when he took over under center in the fourth quarter and completed five of seven passes for 29 yards.

Cousins completed 5 of 7 passes for 29 yards during Sunday's 30-0 loss to the Panthers.

Cousins didn't play at all during the preseason and hadn't seen game action since getting benched at the end of last season. Despite the dud from Michael Penix on Sunday, the Falcons are still rolling with the youngster as their starter and trying to trade Cousins. However, Jay Glazer reported on "Fox NFL Sunday" that Atlanta hasn't received any trade inquiries about the veteran QB, despite several teams dealing with injured signal callers.

The Falcons haven't received any calls or texts regarding Cousins despite a number of injuries to quarterbacks this week, Jay Glazer reported on Fox NFL Sunday.

The Falcons are willing to trade Cousins, but they also didn't put anything on tape with him this preseason to demonstrate that he has fully recovered from the injuries that ultimately got him benched last year.

Cousins will not suit up for Friday's preseason finale against the Cowboys, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Cousins will join starting quarterback Michael Penix on the sideline for a third consecutive preseason game, positioning Easton Stick for a final exhibition start, with free agency pickup Ben DiNucci in line to close things out under center in the wake of Emory Jones (concussion) being waived/injured Monday. By all indications, Cousins will kick off the regular season as the No. 2 quarterback behind Penix in Atlanta, though the Falcons would likely pick up the phone for trade inquiries if a team in need of a capable veteran QB emerges at some stage.

Cousins won't suit up for Friday's preseason game against the Titans, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

For a second consecutive exhibition, both Cousins and No. 1 quarterback Michael Penix won't be available to the Falcons, leaving Easton Stick to start under center and Emory Jones to sub in once Stick is done for the evening. Cousins is slated to serve as the backup to Penix in 2025, but if a QB-needy team pops up at some point in the coming weeks or months, Cousins could find himself on the move.

Cousins won't play in Friday's preseason game against Detroit, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

Neither will starter Michael Penix, leaving Easton Stick and Emory Jones as Atlanta's quarterbacks. Cousins, meanwhile, presumably still wants to be traded to a team that will give him a chance to start, but he's practicing with the Falcons' backups in the meantime.

Cousins is slated to attend the Falcons' mandatory minicamp Tuesday and Wednesday. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.

Cousins attended Atlanta's voluntary workouts in April but not voluntary OTAs late May and early June. The veteran quarterback has expressed his desire to be traded to a team where he could compete to start, rather than work as the backup to Michael Penix. The Browns, Steelers and Vikings had been named as potential suitors for Cousins prior to the 2025 NFL Draft, but Cleveland has since added rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, while Pittsburgh's long-awaited one-year deal with Aaron Rodgers has finally materialized. Cousins is now heading into his age-37 season, carrying a cumbersome contract and fresh off a 2024 campaign in which he visibly petered out down the stretch before being benched. Unless a path to a starting gig elsewhere and trade somehow materializes, for fantasy purposes Cousins looks like a mere late-round stash in formats that start multiple QBs.

The Browns, Steelers and Vikings may be interested in acquiring Cousins, whose contract includes a no-trade clause, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.

The contract also has a guaranteed $27.5 million salary for 2025, plus a guaranteed $10 million roster bonus in 2026. Cousins somewhat unexpectedly showed up for the start of Atlanta's voluntary OTAs this week, but he still seems to be hoping for a trade that would put him in a starting role -- preferably without competition from an early draft pick at the position. Pittsburgh would seem to be the cleanest fit, if Aaron Rodgers doesn't end up signing there and the Steelers don't use an early pick on a QB later this week. Falcons GM Terry Fontenot responded to some of the rumors and reports Wednesday, saying it's "not accurate" that the team has asked potential trade partners to take on at least $20 million of Cousins' salary, per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network.

Cousins is present for the start of Atlanta's voluntary OTAs on Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Cousins' attendance at voluntary OTAs is something of a surprise, after his having been benched Week 16 of last season in favor of 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix, who is slated to kick off the 2025 campaign under center. Atlanta could have released Cousins in mid-March to avoid having his $10 million guaranteed roster bonus kick in, but the team opted to keep the veteran quarterback in house as a backup option or trade candidate. However, Cousins' contract includes a no trade-clause which he seems unlikely to waive unless the chance to inherit a starting role elsewhere materializes.

Cousins isn't expected at voluntary OTAs this spring, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The Falcons kept Cousins on the roster in mid-March rather than releasing him to avoid a $10 million guarantee kicking in. He may still be traded at some point this offseason, but there's a real chance he enters Week 1 as the backup in Atlanta, behind 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix. The Falcons benched Cousins in favor of Penix for the final three games last season, with the rookie then completing 58 of 100 passes for 737 yards (7.4 YPA), three TDs and three INTs, plus seven carries for 11 yards and another score. Penix played well enough to keep the starting job heading into 2025, but perhaps not well enough for the Falcons to be confident that he's a franchise QB in the making.

The Falcons have decided to keep Cousins on their roster ahead of Saturday's 4 pm ET deadline for his $10 million guarantee to kick in, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Cousins lost his starting job to Michael Penix late last season and has been the subject of trade speculation in recent months. However, the Falcons appear determined to keep him around as a backup and mentor to Penix for at least one more season. It's still possible that a trade partner will emerge to persuade Atlanta to part ways with the veteran quarterback, but Cousins has a no-trade clause in his contract and may waive it only if put in the position to be a starter elsewhere.

Cousins may wait until after the NFL Draft to request a trade and/or waive his no-trade clause, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

The idea would be to see which teams use an early pick on a quarterback before finding a new home for 2025. Cousins, of course, signed a four-year contract with the Falcons last offseason, only to see them take Michael Penix with the eighth overall pick. Cousins mostly struggled in his first year back from an Achilles' tear, and Penix eventually took over the starting job for the final three weeks. It may help Cousins to be another year removed from his injury, but he'll also be in his age-37 season, likely nearing the end of the line. It's unclear if he'd generate serious trade interest as a potential starter.

Cousins said Tuesday that a right shoulder injury sustained Week 10 impacted the quality of his play down the stretch in 2024, prior to his being benched for rookie Michael Penix in Week 16, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.

Cousins' season looked remarkably different prior to Week 10, as he boasted a 17:7 TD:INT entering the road matchup against New Orleans, compared to a 1:9 TD:INT in his final five appearances. He was listed on the injury report immediately after the contest against the Saints, but was then limited for only one session before upgrading to full activity, then being listed as healthy to conclude the campaign. Coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot also affirmed multiple times that Cousins' health wasn't a factor in the decision to bench him for Penix. Still, Cousins' focus to begin the offseason is related to getting healthy. "If we can do that," Cousins said, "[I] feel like I've got a new life ahead of me in pro football." Fontenot has stated that Cousins will work as the backup to Penix during the 2025 season, but if the veteran's struggles were indeed mostly injury-related and he's able to quickly get right, it could make things easier for Atlanta to facilitate a potential trade.

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said Thursday that Cousins will head into the 2025 season as the No. 2 quarterback behind Michael Penix, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports. "Kirk is a great man and he's been great support for Mike, a great teammate, great support for everybody in the building, so we're very confident moving forward with him as the backup," Fontenot said.

Shortly after the Falcons benched Cousins in favor of Penix in Week 16, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the expectation in league circles was that Atlanta would cut Cousins before March 17, when the 36-year-old quarterback is due a $10 million roster bonus. Fontenot pushed back on that report during his press conference Thursday, noting that Atlanta signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal last March with the expectation that they would "get high-level quarterback play for two seasons." That didn't come to fruition, as Cousins completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,508 yards and 18 touchdowns while committing 18 turnovers (16 interceptions, two lost fumbles) in 14 starts before Atlanta turned the offense over to the rookie Penix. While Fontenot acknowledged that Cousins didn't perform as well as anticipated, the GM reiterated that the Falcons are comfortable with him as a backup heading into the upcoming season, though that won't preclude the organization from trading him if the right deal eme

Cousins is expected to be cut by the Falcons before his $10 million roster bonus is due March 17, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.

Cousins has been demoted to the backup role behind rookie first-round pick Michael Penix ahead of Atlanta's Week 16 game against the Giants. The veteran quarterback lost his starting role after posting a 1:9 TD:INT in his last five starts. Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons prior to the 2024 season, but Atlanta appears ready to move forward with Penix while eating the remainder of Cousins' $100 million guarantee.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said Wednesday that Cousins operate as the No. 2 quarterback behind rookie Michael Penix against the Giants on Sunday, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Morris announced Tuesday that Cousins would be benched in favor of Penix, and clarity has now arrived confirming the veteran signal-caller's new backup duties. Cousins' long-term future in Atlanta is another matter, as the 36-year-old has lost his grip on the starting gig just 14 games into the four-year, $180 million contract he inked with the Falcons this offseason. Through those 14 appearances, Cousins has completed 303 of 453 pass attempts (67 percent) for 3,508 yards, 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Nine of those interceptions came in Cousins' most recent five games, in which span he threw just one touchdown.

Atlanta announced Tuesday that Michael Penix will be the team's starting quarterback moving forward, displacing Cousins in the role.

Cousins struggled over the Falcons' past five games, posting a 1:9 TD:INT while the team went 1-4. Though the squad snapped a four-game losing streak Monday against the Raiders, Cousins didn't do well, completing 11 of 17 passes for 112 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Head coach Raheem Morris was non-committal about the veteran quarterback continuing to start under center for the squad earlier Tuesday, and the Falcons later made the announcement that Penix will be taking over as the team's starting signal-caller. Per Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site, Morris said in a prepared statement, "This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday's game against the New York Giants." It's unclear what Cousins' future in Atlanta will be after signing a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason.

Head coach Raheem Morris was non-committal Tuesday when asked if Cousins will remain the Falcons' starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the Giants, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports. "We just got back [from Las Vegas]. We still have to go through that process," Morris said. "All those things will happen over the course of the week. We didn't play well enough at the quarterback position."

Though the Falcons snapped their four-game losing streak Monday with a 15-9 win over the Raiders, Cousins' play didn't inspire much confidence in the prospects of the Atlanta offense moving forward. After Cousins had turned in a disastrous 0:8 TD:INT during the previous four games, the Falcons leaned heavily on the ground attack in Week 16, attempting 37 runs on the night. Cousins was unable to do much with his 20 dropbacks, taking three sacks and completing 11 of 17 pass attempts for 112 yards, one touchdown and NFL-leading 16th interception of the season. Though a soft home matchup against the 2-12 Giants awaits in Week 16, the 7-7 Falcons may view the game as a good opportunity to see if rookie first-round pick Michael Penix can provide an upgrade over the struggling Cousins as Atlanta looks to stay in the thick of the NFC playoff race. Expect Morris to provide an update on the Falcons' plans at quarterback Wednesday, when the team resumes practicing.

Cousins completed 11 of 17 passes for 112 yards with a touchdown and an interception and netted no gain on three rush attempts in the Falcons' 15-9 win over the Raiders on Monday night. He also committed a fumble but recovered.

Cousins' numbers were hardly of the redemptive variety after a four-game stretch that may have had his starting job in danger, but the veteran signal-caller at least snapped his four-game touchdown drought with a 30-yard first-quarter scoring strike to Drake London. Cousins ultimately wasn't tasked with doing much more against an inept Raiders offense helmed by Desmond Ridder, leading to his lowest passing yardage total of the campaign. Cousins may enjoy a similar game script in a Week 16 home matchup against the lowly Giants, who should also pose very little threat as well.

Head coach Raheem Morris said Monday that Cousins remains Atlanta's starting quarterback heading into a road matchup against the Raiders on Dec. 16, Terrin Waack of the Falcons' official site reports.

Morris said Cousins "is the guy who is going to lead us" heading into a primetime matchup against Las Vegas next Monday night, reaffirming the notion that Atlanta still isn't considering allowing rookie first-round pick Michael Penix even a spot start. Still, the Falcons now have lost four consecutive games, a span in which Cousins has thrown eight interceptions without a single touchdown. During Minnesota's 42-21 loss to the Vikings on Sunday, Cousins completed just 23 of his 37 pass attempts for 344 yards, no touchdowns and two INTs. If Atlanta's passing game were to struggle notably against the Raiders in prime time, Morris' current level of commitment to Cousins could shift.

Cousins completed 23 of 37 passes for 344 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in the Falcons' 42-21 loss to the Vikings on Sunday.

Making his return to Minnesota, Cousins' afternoon started off in fine fashion when he helmed an 11-play 70-yard drive that culminated in a Tyler Allgeier six-yard touchdown run on the game's opening possession. However, the Vikings' aggressive defense would progressively begin figuring out their former teammate, allowing just three additional points during the rest of the first half with the help of one of two interceptions off Cousins during the afternoon. Cousins would falter again with just under six and a half minutes remaining, overshooting Kyle Pitts on a red-zone throw for a second pick that essentially snuffed out any hopes of an Atlanta comeback. Cousins did compile enough completions after the game was out of reach to eclipse the 300-yard mark for his third time as a Falcon, but he'll head into a Week 15 road matchup against the Raiders with an 0:8 TD:INT in his last four games. Despite the abysmal stretch of play, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that head coach Rah

Falcons coach Raheem Morris was emphatic when speaking with Fox NFL Sunday's Jay Glazer that no quarterback change was imminent between Cousins and Michael Penix Jr.

Morris reiterated that Cousins's Achilles is not the cause of his recent struggles, in which he's thrown zero touchdowns and six interceptions over his last three games. He did say that Cousins was sore all over, but that they worked on his maintenance over the week of practice. Meanwhile, Fox colleague reported that Penix Jr. didn't take any first-team reps in practice this week, buttressing Glazer's report.

Cousins completed 24 of 39 passes for 245 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions in the Falcons' 17-13 loss to the Chargers on Sunday. He also rushed once for three yards and committed a fumble recovered by Atlanta.

Cousins was able to move the ball well over the Falcons' first two drives on the way to helping Atlanta to 10 points, but his troubles began on the third possession when he tossed his first interception of the afternoon at the Chargers' 29-yard line. Cousins was only able to help lead another pair of scoring marches the rest of the way, both which culminated in field goals, and his three second-half picks, including a pick-six and another that came at Los Angeles' 24-yard line with 47 seconds remaining, doomed any hopes of a comeback. Cousins has now thrown six interceptions without a touchdown pass in the last three games, and his assignment remains just as tough in a Week 14 road matchup against his old Vikings squad.

Cousins completed 18 of 27 passes for 173 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Sunday's 38-6 loss to the Broncos. He also rushed once for no gain.

Cousins struggled as the Falcons posted a poor performance across the board before waving the white flag by inserting backup quarterback Michael Penix down 38-6 in the fourth quarter. The bigger long-term concern for Cousins could be the status of wide receiver Darnell Mooney, who exited in the third quarter due to a hamstring injury, though Atlanta's Week 12 bye could provide an opportunity for the team's leader in receiving yards to recover prior to a Week 13 home game against the Chargers. Cousins will look to bounce back post-bye after being held without a touchdown pass in each of the past two games.

Cousins (right shoulder/right elbow) practiced fully Thursday, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

After opening Week 11 prep with a limited session due to a pair of health concerns, Cousins was back to full participation one day later. With his status clear ahead of the weekend, he'll turn his attention to Sunday's game and a Broncos defense that hasn't allowed a 300-yard passer in 10 games this season.

Cousins was a limited practice participant Wednesday due to right elbow and shoulder injuries.

Cousins apparently came out of Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Saints with a pair of injuries to his throwing arm. His participation in practice to start the week, even in a limited capacity, suggests he'll likely play this Sunday at Denver in the final game before Atlanta's bye.

Cousins completed 23 of 38 passes for 306 yards with an interception in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Saints.

An uncharacteristically awful day for Younghoe Koo cost the Falcons a win, but Cousins also struggled to get the ball into the end zone, failing to throw a TD pass for the first time since Week 4 -- the last time he faced the Saints. The veteran QB's 306 passing yards were his second-highest total of the season however, behind only his mammoth 509-yards effort in Week 5 against the Bucs. Cousins will look to rebound on the road in Week 11, but he'll be taking another stingy secondary in the Broncos.

Cousins completed 19 of 24 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 27-21 win over the Cowboys.

The veteran QB found Drake London (hip), Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud for scores in one of his most efficient performances of the season. Cousins has tossed 13 TDs over the last five games against only three INTs, and even if London's hip issue keeps him sidelined in Week 10, the signal-caller should have more than enough talent around him to take care of a reeling Saints squad.

Cousins completed 23 of 29 passes for 276 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions and rushed three times for 16 yards in the Falcons' 31-26 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday. He also committed a fumble but the ball remained with Atlanta.

Cousins had burned the Buccaneers for four scoring tosses during a memorable overtime victory in Week 5, but with Tampa Bay down both Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (IR-knee) on Sunday, the veteran signal-caller wasn't expected to have to be overly aggressive through the air. No one informed the feisty Buccaneers, which kept Cousins engaged through the air for all four quarters and facilitated another stellar performance in the process. Cousins connected with Kyle Pitts for touchdown tosses of 36 and 49 yards before adding 30- and six-yard scoring strikes to Darnell Mooney and Bijan Robinson, respectively. The veteran signal-caller has at least one touchdown pass in four straight games, and he next takes aim at the Cowboys' inconsistent defense in a Week 9 home matchup.

Cousins completed 24 of 35 passes for 232 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions and rushed once for minus-1 yards in the Falcons' 34-14 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday. He also lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown.

Cousins' trio of turnovers certainly had a part to play in the surprisingly lopsided loss, handing the ball to the Seahawks on three consecutive second-half possessions. The miscues netted a total of 10 points for Seattle, and both picks also short-circuited drives in Seahawks territory. Cousins' one scoring pass went to Drake London midway through the third quarter from five yards out, and the veteran signal-caller will have to quickly regroup considering a Week 8 road divisional clash against the Buccaneers is now on tap.

Cousins completed 19 of 30 pass attempts for 225 yards and a touchdown without turning the ball over in Sunday's 38-20 win over the Panthers.

Cousins cruised to victory on the backs of two impressive rushing performances from Bijan Robinson (15-95-2) and Tyler Allgeier (18-105-1). The Falcons' starting quarterback still produced an efficient passing line with no turnovers for fantasy managers, but this was certainly a step down from Cousins' career day against the Buccaneers in Week 5. The veteran is still worthy of starting considerations in most formats ahead of next Sunday's tilt against Seattle.

Cousins completed 42 of 58 passes for 509 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in the Falcons' 36-30 overtime win over the Buccaneers on Thursday night.

Cousins was in prolific form right from the onset, capping off the opening possession of the night with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Drake London. The veteran signal-caller would strike again early in the second quarter via a 24-yard scoring toss to Darnell Mooney, and he'd connect with the speedster again in the fourth quarter from 12 yards away. However, Cousins' most impactful throw came just a 1:15 into overtime, hitting KhaDarel Hodge on a 45-yard catch and run that served as his fourth touchdown pass of the night and sealed the victory while propelling him to a franchise-record single-game yardage total. Cousins did throw what could have been a back-breaking interception with 1:52 remaining and the Falcons down three, but Atlanta was able to get the ball back in time to mount a nine-play march that culminated in a game-tying 52-yard field goal by Younghoe Koo. Cousins ultimately facilitated two 100-yard performances by his receivers (London, Mooney) and also showed encouraging chemistry with Kyle Pitts

Cousins completed 21 of 35 passes for 238 yards and an interception in Sunday's 26-24 win over the Saints.

The veteran quarterback failed to throw a TD pass for the first time in four games as a member of the Falcons, but instead Atlanta got its offense on a fumble recovery score on special teams, a pick-six by the defense, and four Younghoe Koo field goals, including a 58-yard game-winner with two seconds left on the clock. Cousins has yet to break out for Atlanta, posting a 4:4 TD:INT so far and failing to reach 250 passing yards in a game, but he may need to step up his production in Week 5 against the Buccaneers.

Cousins completed 20 of 29 pass attempts for 230 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Sunday's 22-17 loss to Kansas City.

Cousins performed adequately against the reigning Super Bowl champs on Sunday, completing over two-thirds of his pass attempts for a touchdown against a tough defense. That said, the final fantasy score left much to be desired from hopeful managers following a late interception in the first half of the loss. Cousins has yet to surpass the 300-yard mark in any of his first three starts in Atlanta after accomplishing the same feat three times in three tries last season with Minnesota. The veteran starter remains a viable option against another tough defense (New Orleans) in Week 4.

Cousins completed 20 of 29 passes for 241 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and netted minus-1 yard on four carries in the Falcons' 22-21 win over the Eagles on Monday night. He also committed a fumble recovered by Atlanta.

Cousins played hero after a disappointing Falcons debut in Week 1, with the veteran signal-caller seemingly shaking off some final rust over the course of the contest. Cousins got into a rhythm when it mattered most, helming a six-play, 70-yard drive that began with 1:39 remaining and saw him complete three passes of double-digit yardage before capping off the march with seven-yard touchdown pass. The scoring toss, which proved to be the difference in the contest, was preceded by a 41-yard strike to Darnell Mooney late in the third quarter. Cousins looked exponentially better than in the opener against Pittsburgh, and he'll hope to build on Monday night's effort in a Sunday night home showdown against the Chiefs in Week 3.

Cousins completed 16 of 26 passes for 155 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in Sunday's 18-10 loss to the Steelers.

Cousins did not have a good Falcons debut, as he struggled with both inefficiency and untimely mistakes. Each of his interceptions led directly to a field goal for the Steelers and appeared out of sync in the offense as the team lost a fumble due to mistimed motion. Cousins also managed only 6.0 yards per attempt and his longest completion went for just 20 yards. The considerable rust is understandable given that it's been 10 months since he appeared in game action, though Cousins and the Falcons will face another tough test in Week 2 against the Eagles.

Cousins will not suit up for any of the Falcons' preseason games, but he "has no limitations" per coach Raheem Morris and remains on track to start Week 1 versus the Steelers, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

"The guy's full-go," Morris said. "I don't worry about [Cousins]." The veteran signal-caller has reportedly showcased a recent willingness to tuck and run the ball at practices, and to take hits that will extend a play, which are positive signs as he heads into his age-36 season while working back from a serious injury. Morris said the Falcons fully expect Cousins to be ready for Sept. 8's regular-season opener, but that in the meantime "we're just trying to avoid any unnecessary trips or stumbles." Rookie eighth overall pick Michael Penix could be the biggest beneficiary of Cousins not suiting up for preseason action, as Atlanta could allow him to get the bulk of first-team exhibition reps, beginning with Friday's contest on the road in Miami.

Cousins (Achilles) is medically cleared for training camp but could have some "modifications" to his workload, William McFadden of the Falcons' official site reports.

In other words, Cousins might not get as many reps as a starting quarterback typically would even though he doesn't have any limitations in terms of the types of activities he can do. The Falcons have two good options to handle first-team QB reps when Cousins is rested, as they still have Taylor Heinicke and drafted Michael Penix eighth overall. The latter development could make things rather interesting in Atlanta if Cousins doesn't look like his Minnesota self in his age-36 season ahead. The Falcons were undeterred by the Achilles' tear he suffered late last October, giving Cousins a four-year, $180 million contract with half the money guaranteed at signing.

Cousins (Achilles), who signed a four-year deal with Atlanta in March, is slated to be joined in the team's QB corps by Michael Penix, who was taken with the No. 8 overall pick in Thursday's NFL draft, Terrin Waack of the Falcons' official site reports.

Despite the franchise's surprising decision to select Penix, Cousins, who is rebounding from an Achilles tear that he sustained Oct. 29, remains locked in as the Falcons' No. 1 QB for the foreseeable future. Regarding that topic, GM Terry Fontenot noted Thursday, "Kirk Cousins is our quarterback. We're very excited about Kirk, very excited about this team. (With) Michael Penix we're talking about the future. The draft is you look at the future and you look at big picture." In terms of his injury recovery, Cousins relayed last month that he's progressing well and is "optimistic that (he) can be full speed at practice before (the Falcons) break for the summer." In any case, barring any setbacks, Cousins -- who turns 36 in August -- remains entrenched atop Atlanta's depth chart, with Penix providing the team with both an insurance policy for the veteran signal-caller, as well as a potential successor down the road.

Cousins (Achilles) said during his introductory news conference as a member of the Falcons on Wednesday that he's "optimistic to be full speed at practice" by the end of the offseason program in June, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

Considering Cousins suffered a torn right Achilles on Oct. 29 during a Week 8 win at Green Bay, he may be hard-pressed to be completely healthy once Atlanta completes mandatory minicamp. More realistically, he'll be able to handle most of the first-team reps during training camp and even get some run in the preseason as he transitions to the third team of his career. When he's healthy, Cousins will have all the skill talent at his disposal in the form of RBs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, WR Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts. All four players have exactly one campaign with at least 900 yards from scrimmage, which should help Cousins dabble with 4,000-plus passing yards like he did seven times in eight seasons from 2015 through 2022.

Cousins (Achilles) is signing a four-year contract with the Falcons, according to agent Mike McCartney at Vayner Sports.

The Falcons were rumored to represent Minnesota's strongest competition for the 35-year-old QB and apparently won the bidding within the first three hours of the free-agent negotiating period. Cousins can't sign a contract until Wednesday afternoon, and it might take a bit longer than that to become official given the possible complication of his rehab from a torn Achilles' tendon. The injury is less of a concern for a pocket passer than for other NFL players, but it may nonetheless impact Cousins' participation in offseason practices under new Falcons coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. The signing is excellent news for WR Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts, and it also bodes well for RB Bijan Robinson's continued involvement as a receiver. Cousins won't necessarily have the deepest group of pass catchers in Atlanta, but he'll have high-end talent and a strong offensive line. The Vikings, meanwhile, are left without a starting QB and figure to take a look at both veteran and rookie optio

Cousins (Achilles) is expected to begin negotiating with the Falcons when the legal tampering period begins at 12:00 p.m. ET on Monday, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.

Rumors have connected the two parties for the past couple weeks, and it sounds like the Falcons may be willing to outbid the Vikings for Cousins' services. It's also possible the Vikings up their offer in the presence of a real threat, and Cousins may even give the team an opportunity to match any offer he receives. Whatever the case, Atlanta needs to be taken seriously as a contender for Cousins' services. His presence under center would be a huge fantasy boost for WR Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts, with RB Bijan Robinson possibly benefiting quite a bit as well.

Cousins (Achilles) is expected to test the free-agent market this week, though his agent and the Vikings remain in contact, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

"The Vikings are still in this," Pelissero added. But the Falcons and Broncos were two teams mentioned as possible destinations should Cousins ultimately leave Minnesota. Teams are permitted to speak with free agents from other teams starting at 12 p.m. ET Monday. Cousins is expected to command a contract that averages more than $40 million per year.

Cousins, who is bouncing back from a right Achilles tear, posted a video Monday which showed him backpedaling and throwing recently in an indoor tennis facility, Kevin Seifert of ESPN reports.

Cousins, who sustained the injury during Week 8 of the 2023 season (Oct. 29), noted in his social media post that he was "encouraged by the progress" he's made thus far. With that in mind, the veteran signal caller, who's eligible to become a free agent next month, relayed during interviews at the Super Bowl that he's on track with his recovery and expects to be healthy enough to participate in OTAs and minicamp this spring. Per Seifert, there's mutual interest between the Vikings and Cousins to keep the QB with the franchise he's played for since 2018, but for now, the 35-year-old profiles as the best potentially available option at his position ahead of NFL free agency.

Cousins (Achilles) is ahead of schedule in his recovery from surgery and should resume throwing within the next month or so, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Cousins had surgery on his torn Achilles' tendon Nov. 1 and isn't likely to participate in spring practices even if he resumes throwing soon. He does seem better equipped than most football players to rebound from the injury, considering he's a pocket-based QB who has averaged just 6.6 rushing yards per game in six seasons with the Vikings. Cousins' rehab from surgery will actually be a secondary storyline this offseason, as he's scheduled for unrestricted free agency and not considered a lock to re-sign in Minnesota.

Cousins (Achilles) announced Tuesday via social media that he had his cast removed from his right foot, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.

Cousins will ditch the cast just under two weeks after undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a torn Achilles' tendon. The 35-year-old quarterback will face a lengthy rehab process, but if he's able to avoid any setbacks in the next several months, he could receive full medical clearance for training camp, if not OTAs. Whether Cousins will be taking part in offseason work with the Vikings or another team is up in the air, as he's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March.

Cousins announced via his personal X account Wednesday that he has undergone successful surgery to address his torn right Achilles' tendon.

Cousins is already on the road to recovery after having suffered a season-ending Achilles' tear during Sunday's win over the Packers. The 35-year-old veteran could have a chance to be back on the field when NFL training camps open next July, but as a pending unrestricted free agent, it still remains to be seen whether Cousins will ultimately remain in Minnesota by that time. For the immediate future, however, rookie fifth-round pick Jaren Hall looks on track to draw his first NFL start Week 9 at Atlanta. The Vikings opted to trade for an experienced quarterback in the form of Joshua Dobbs on Tuesday, giving the team some room for maneuverability under center.

The Vikings placed Cousins (Achilles) on injured reserve Tuesday.

The transaction is merely a formality, as an MRI confirmed Monday that Cousins suffered a torn right Achilles' tendon in Sunday's win over Green Bay, ending the quarterback's season. According to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell added that Cousins is slated to undergo surgery later this week, but assuming the 35-year-old has no complications with his procedure, he could be ready for full football activities when NFL training camps open next July. Since Cousins is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, it's unclear whether he'll return to Minnesota for a seventh season or explore his options elsewhere. Rookie fifth-round pick Jaren Hall appears set to make his first NFL start in Cousins' stead Week 9 at Atlanta, but Minnesota acquired a more experienced signal-caller in Joshua Dobbs from Arizona on Tuesday and could turn the offense over to him at some point in the second half of the season if Hall struggles.

The Vikings announced Monday that Cousins will miss the rest of the season after an MRI confirmed that he tore his right Achilles' tendon in Sunday's win over the Packers.

The news come as little surprise, as multiple reports suggested that Cousins suffered an Achilles tear shortly after he exited in the fourth quarter with the injury. A timeline and details for Cousins' surgery will be determined later this week, but the 35-year-old will be done for the season and may not be guaranteed to be back to 100 percent health for NFL training camps next summer. Jaren Hall replaced Cousins late in Sunday's game, but the Vikings haven't determined whether the rookie fifth-round pick will start Week 9 at Atlanta. Cousins, meanwhile, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Cousins suffered an apparent torn Achilles during Sunday's 24-10 win at Green Bay, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Cousins limped to the sideline with 10:30 left in the fourth quarter unable to put any weight on his right foot and was quickly ruled out. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Cousins is slated for an MRI to determine the exact nature of the injury, but if the expected diagnosis is confirmed, he'll miss the remainder of the campaign. With Nick Mullens (back) needing to remain on injured reserve for at last one more game, rookie fifth-round pick Jaren Hall could be in line for his first career start next Sunday in Atlanta.

Cousins won't return to Sunday's game against the Packers after exiting in the fourth quarter with an apparent right ankle injury.

Cousins hobbled off the field with 10:30 remaining in the quarter and didn't appear to be putting any weight on his right foot after he was taken down by Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark on a third-down play. He headed to the Vikings' medical tent on the sideline for evaluation before being quickly carted to the locker room and ruled out for the day. He'll finish the Week 8 contest with 23 completions on 31 attempts for 274 yards and two touchdowns to go with nine rushing yards on two carries. Jaren Hall will replace Cousins as the Vikings' quarterback and could be in line for playing time if Cousins' injury is serious enough to keep him out of Minnesota's Week 9 game versus the Falcons.

Cousins completed 35 of 45 passes for 378 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Vikings' 22-17 win over the 49ers on Monday night. He also netted minus-1 yard on two rushes.

After a lackluster showing in his first game without Justin Jefferson (IR-hamstring) in Week 6 against the Bears, Cousins exploded for one of the best performances of his career considering the caliber of matchup. The veteran averaged a robust 8.4 yards per attempt while displaying particularly impressive chemistry with rookie Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson. The duo finished on the receiving end of 18 of Cousins' completions and compiled 209 yards in the process. Meanwhile, Addison secured both of Cousins' scoring tosses, which came from 20 and 60 yards out. Cousins' passing yardage total was his highest of the campaign and qualified as his fourth 300-yard effort as well, and his ability to thrive without Jefferson certainly raises his fantasy prospects going into a Week 8 road matchup against the Packers.

Cousins completed 21 of 31 passes for 181 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the Vikings' 19-13 win over the Bears on Sunday. He also rushed twice for minus-5 yards and committed two fumbles, losing one.

Cousins unsurprisingly bore little resemblance to the prolific performer he's often been with Justin Jefferson (IR-hamstring) available, but the veteran signal-caller was able to do just enough to help the Vikings squeeze out a close victory. In Jefferson's absence, Cousins spread the ball around to six different targets, and his fumble on a late second-quarter sack didn't lead to any Bears points. Cousins will likely acclimate to Jefferson's absence a bit more by the week, but he'll draw an unenviable matchup against the 49ers in a Monday night Week 7 home matchup on Oct. 23.

Cousins is expected to remain with the Vikings for the rest of the 2023 season, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Cousins is not expected to waive his full no-trade clause, so even if the Vikings wanted to move him it would not be possible. Speculation has been abound about his future with the team, as he is in the final year of his current contract and Minnesota is 1-4 entering Week 6 -- three games out of first place. Adding in the absence of Justin Jefferson (hamstring), it appears that it's a longshot for the team to make a run at the postseason. Nevertheless, Cousins appears set to play out his contract in Minnesota.

Cousins completed 29 of 47 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 27-20 loss to Kansas City.

Despite playing the fourth quarter without Justin Jefferson (hamstring), Cousins still tossed multiple TDs for the fifth straight game to begin the season, hitting rookie Jordan Addison for a five-yard strike just before halftime before finding Alexander Mattison on a nine-yard screen early in the fourth. Cousins very nearly connected with Mattison for another TD and what would have been the tying score late in the game, but the running back dropped the pass. Jefferson's status for Week 6 against the Bears is still up in the air, and his availability could have a big impact on the QB's chances of extending his streak of productive games.

Cousins completed 13 of 19 passes for 139 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in Sunday's 21-13 win over the Panthers.

Cousins got off to a brutal start, having an interception returned 99 yards for a touchdown during the first quarter. Although he threw another pick prior to halftime, Cousins at least found star wideout Justin Jefferson for touchdowns from four and 30 yards. After topping 340 yards in each of the first three weeks, Cousins' clear season-low output Sunday nonetheless didn't prevent Minnesota from winning its first game.

Cousins completed 32 of 50 passes for 367 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in Sunday's 28-24 loss to the Chargers.

Cousins reached 50 pass attempts in a game for the sixth time in his career, with Sunday's game marking his second-lowest yardage total in those contests. Nevertheless, it was a good performance that was highlighted by long touchdown strikes of 52 and 36 yards and also included four additional completions of greater than 20 yards. Though the Vikings are 0-3, Cousins has multiple passing scores and has topped 340 yards in all three games to this point.

Cousins completed 31 of 44 passes for 364 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in the Vikings' 34-28 loss to the Vikings on Thursday night. He also lost a fumble.

As was the case in a Week 1 upset loss to the Buccaneers four days earlier, Cousins put together an elite fantasy performance in defeat that was only marred by a lost fumble on a sack early in the third quarter that led to an Eagles touchdown. The veteran once again unsurprisingly displayed his greatest chemistry with Justin Jefferson, with whom he connected on 11 occasions for 159 yards. However, Cousins' quartet of scoring tosses went elsewhere, hitting T.J. Hockenson for a pair of five-yard touchdowns and adding 62- and 10-yard connections with rookie Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn, respectively. Cousins has already put up over 600 pass attempts in a season on three separate occasions during his long career, and with 88 through two games in the new campaign, he's well on his way to surpassing the mark yet again. Cousins will look to continue his strong start to the season in a Week 3 home matchup against Justin Herbert and the Chargers on Sunday, Sept. 24.

Cousins completed 33 of 44 passes for 344 yards with two touchdowns and one interception while adding three rushes for seven yards in the Vikings' 20-17 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday. He also lost two fumbles.

The Vikings' day was essentially an ongoing contradiction between the stat sheet and the scoreboard, and Cousins' performance was a fitting microcosm of such. The veteran signal-caller was highly efficient while averaging 7.8 yards per attempt, and his passing yardage total was more than all but three of his games from last season. However, Cousins' pair of first-quarter fumbles were each damaging, with the first short-circuiting a drive that had reached the Buccaneers' 26-yard line and the second coming at his own 21-yard line and leading to a Tampa Bay field goal. Cousins did encouragingly rookie first-round pick and new No. 2 receiver Jordan Addison for a 39-yard touchdown among his two scores, but he'll have an uphill battle to replicate his performance with a Week 2 Thursday night road matchup against the Eagles on tap.

Cousins isn't likely to play in Thursday's preseason opener against the Seahawks, according to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune.

Goessling suggests that it's unlikely the Vikings will play many established players versus Seattle, with Cousins and Justin Jefferson likely to be spectators Thursday. Assuming that's the case, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall will be available to handle the team's QB reps.

Cousins said Wednesday that he doesn't expect to discuss a new contract with the Vikings until next offseason, ESPN's Kevin Seifert reports.

Cousins is in the final season of his contract and said he wants to finish his career in Minnesota, but the Vikings seemingly want to take it year by year at this point rather than making another long-term commitment. His passing efficiency stats dropped last season in his first year under coach Kevin O'Connell, with a career-high 646 attempts somewhat allowing the QB to make up for it from a fantasy standpoint. Cousins turns 35 in August and should get plenty of volume again after the Vikings replaced Adam Thielen with first-round pick Jordan Addison and released RB Dalvin Cook.

The Vikings aren't committed to Cousins beyond 2023, as his recent restructure pushes more of the cap hit to future years without changing the length of the contract, Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

The team used void years rather than an extension, but another contract could still happen next offseason or even later this year. While the Vikings hope to find a young quarterback to develop behind their 34-year-old, long-time starter, there's no guarantee of finding the right player this spring or next, especially without the luxury of an early first-round pick. Minnesota's offense largely looks the same as last year through the first few days of the 2023 league year, with the exception of Adam Thielen leaving and blocking tight end Josh Oliver coming over from Baltimore. Quarterback and wide receiver are two of the positions Minnesota could target early in the 2023 Draft, though in terms of filling short-term gaps it's the defense that needs more help. Either way, Cousins is year-to-year with the Vikings, which arguably was the case even before this offseason.

Cousins completed 31 of 39 pass attempts for 273 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 31-24 wild-card round loss to the Giants. He also punched in a one-yard touchdown on his lone rushing attempt.

Cousins was dialed in throughout the contest, providing strong numbers for fantasy lineups despite taking the loss. The veteran signal-caller's day soured on the Vikings' final drive when he targeted a covered receiver for three yards on 4th-and-8, effectively turning the ball over and ending Minnesota's Super Bowl hopes. The 34-year-old finished the regular season with 4,547 passing yards and a 29:14 TD:INT ratio, numbers that should keep him ranked in the upper third of fantasy quarterbacks as we look towards next year. Cousins and his top offensive weapons are all under contract for 2023, so this core will attempt to run it back with a deeper playoff run next season.

Cousins completed 17 of 20 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 29-13 win over the Bears.

Cousins' output came despite him only playing the first half of Sunday's game. With Minnesota preparing for the playoffs, backup Nick Mullens filled in while Cousins was rested after halftime. In the wake of a poor performance in Green Bay last weekend, Cousins' improvement Sunday -- when he set a season high for completion percentage -- should help his confidence heading into the postseason.

Head coach Kevin O'Connell intimated Friday that Cousins and other key starters on offense and defense may not play the entirety of the Vikings' Week 18 game in Chicago, Joe Nelson of SI.com reports. "We've got a pretty clear cut plan with how we want to go about the whole game, but we're going to go in with the expectation of our guys going and try to get off to a good start and play good football," O'Connell said.

Minnesota is assured no worse than the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs regardless of how this weekend's games transpire, but since the Vikings will need a win over the Bears plus a Cardinals win over the heavily-favored 49ers to climb to the No. 2 seed, O'Connell may not have much incentive to expose key players to an injury heading into the wild-card round. While Cousins and all of the Vikings' other starting skill-position players look poised to play at least one series, the uncertainty of whether they'll play much beyond that makes it tough to reliably project any in Week 18 season-long or DFS lineups.

Cousins completed 18 of 31 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions in Sunday's 41-17 loss to the Packers. He added 37 rushing yards and three carries.

It was a rough day for the entire Vikings offense at Lambeau Field, as Cousins lost two offensive linemen in injuries during the game and had little time or space in which to operate. He was replaced by Nick Mullens late in the rout, as the Vikings prioritized keeping Cousins healthy ahead of the playoffs, and with nothing but seeding to play for in Week 18 against the Bears, it wouldn't be surprising if Mullens got the start.

Cousins completed 34 of 48 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday's 27-24 win over the Giants.

While the veteran QB didn't quite manage to throw for 400 yards, or even 300, for a third straight game, Cousins still tossed three more touchdowns, giving him a 13:3 TD:INT over the last five contests. He's reached 4,000 passing yards for the third straight season and the seventh time in the last eight years, and Cousins will take massive momentum into a Week 17 clash with the Packers.

Cousins completed 34 of 54 passes for 460 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in Saturday's 39-36 overtime win over the Colts.

Everything that could go wrong did for the Vikings as they fell behind 33-0 in the first half, including a Cousins pick-six. In the third quarter, Cousins connected with K.J. Osborn for a 63-yard gain and a two-yard touchdown to get Minnesota on the board with the first of three consecutive Vikings touchdown drives. Cousins capped the third of those drives with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson before derailing the following possession with his second interception. The veteran quarterback bounced back with touchdown passes to Adam Thielen (one yard) and Dalvin Cook (64 yards), the latter of which Cousins followed with a two-point conversion to T.J. Hockenson to tie the score at 36. A field goal in the final minute of overtime capped the historic comeback and improved Minnesota's record to 11-3 heading into a Week 16 visit from the Giants.

Cousins completed 31 of 41 passes for 425 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the Vikings' 34-23 loss to the Lions on Sunday.

While his numbers are largely the result of the Vikings trailing from the second quarter on, fantasy managers will naturally take the season-high yardage total and seventh multi-touchdown effort of the campaign. Cousins most frequently connected with Justin Jefferson as customary, with the star receiver bringing in 11 of his completions for 223 yards. Despite the disappointing loss, the Vikings are 10-3 and still in the driver's seat for the NFC North crown, and Cousins will aim to get them quickly back in the win column during a Saturday afternoon Week 15 home matchup versus the Colts.

Cousins completed 21 of 35 passes for 173 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in Sunday's 27-22 win over the Jets.

Cousins struggled significantly against the tough Jets' defense and was held to only 4.9 yards per attempt. However, he limited mistakes -- he didn't turn the ball over -- and threw a key touchdown to Justin Jefferson from 10 yards away midway through the fourth quarter. Though the Vikings have had plenty of team-level success on the campaign, Cousins has now failed to throw for multiple scores in three of his last four games.

Cousins completed 30 of 37 passes for 299 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in the Vikings' 33-26 win over the Patriots on Thursday night. He also netted minus-1 yard on one rush attempt.

Cousins rose to the challenge against a tough Patriots defense, following his forgettable 105-yard performance against the Cowboys four days prior. The veteran signal-caller opened the scoring with a six-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson to cap off the first possession of the game before subsequently hitting T.J. Hockenson and Adam Thielen for additional touchdown tosses in the second and fourth quarter, respectively. The latter closed out a clutch six-play, 71-yard march that ended up being the difference in the game, and it afforded Cousins his first three-touchdown effort of the season. He'll aim to keep the Vikings offense hot in an unenviable Week 13 home matchup against the Jets a week from Sunday.

Cousins completed just 12 of 23 pass attempts for 105 yards while losing a fumble in Sunday's 40-3 blowout loss to Dallas.

Cousins was harassed by the Cowboys pass rush from start to finish, resulting in seven sacks for a collective loss of 49 yards Sunday. The offensive line stood no chance against Micah Parsons and company, and the team lost starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw (concussion) to add insult to literal injury. Cousins was pulled for the fourth quarter of this lopsided loss and Nick Mullens finished the contest with the rest of the backups. Things won't get any easier for the veteran signal-caller with a short week on tap against a tough Patriots defense Thursday. The silver lining for fantasy managers is that the Thanksgiving game will be an indoor home matchup, as opposed to playing a late-season game in harsh conditions at Foxborough.

Cousins completed 30 of 50 passing attempts for 357 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while rushing six times for 12 yards in Sunday's 33-30 overtime win over the Bills.

Cousins opened the scoring with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson, but Minnesota proceeded to fall into a 27-10 hole before Cousins led them back. He was stuffed on a 4th and goal rushing attempt inside the one-yard line in the final minute, but Buffalo fumbled the snap on the next play and Minnesota's defense recovered for the go-ahead touchdown. Cousins then engineered the go-ahead drive in overtime while flashing brilliant chemistry with Jefferson, who accounted for 193 of Cousins' 357 yards. The 34-year-old quarterback has thrown at least one touchdown in each of Minnesota's first nine games to guide the team to an 8-1 record heading into a Week 11 visit from the Cowboys.

Cousins completed 22 of 40 passes for 265 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Vikings' 20-17 win over the Commanders on Sunday. He also netted minus-2 yards on two rush attempts.

Cousins put together his fourth 250-yard-plus tally in the last six games while helping snap his old squad's three-game losing streak in his first game back in the nation's capital. The veteran signal-caller did get the wind knocked out of him following a 47-yard completion to Justin Jefferson early in the fourth quarter per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, but he ultimately missed just one play. Cousins now has a 5:0 TD:INT in his last three games going into an unenviable Week 10 road matchup against the Bills.

Cousins completed 24 of 36 passes for 232 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the Vikings' 34-26 win over the Cardinals on Sunday. He also rushed four times for 22 yards and another score and lost a fumble.

Cousins had one of his trademark efficient efforts, averaging a modest 6.4 yards per attempt against a Cardinals defense that had done a good job of limiting the production of top receivers this season. The veteran was under a fair amount of duress and took three sacks overall, one which resulted in a fumble at his own 24-yard line that helped lead to an Arizona field goal. However, he made up for it with touchdown passes of one and five yards to Johnny Mundt and K.J. Osborn, respectively, the latter which came just before the halfway point of the fourth quarter and proved to be the difference in the game. Cousins also had a 17-yard touchdown scamper to open the scoring on the afternoon, giving him plenty of momentum heading into a Week 9 road matchup against his old Commanders team.

Cousins completed 20 of 30 passes for 175 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the Vikings' 24-16 win over the Dolphins on Sunday. He also netted minus-5 yards on two carries.

Cousins stayed away from turnovers, but he also averaged just 5.8 yards per attempt and took three sacks. A significant chunk of his yardage tally came on a 47-yard pass to Justin Jefferson late in the third quarter that set up a two-yard touchdown toss to Adam Thielen two plays later. Cousins' other scoring connection came with Irv Smith from one yard out in the second quarter, and he's now posted a trio of two-touchdown efforts in his first six games in new head coach Kevin O'Connell's system. He'll aim to boost his yardage totals back up in a Week 8 Monday night home matchup against the Bears following a Week 7 bye.

Cousins completed 32 of 41 passes for 296 yards, a touchdown and an interception in Sunday's 29-22 win over the Bears. He also rushed four times for four yards and another score.

Cousins was ultra efficient targeting top wideout Justin Jefferson, who finished with another monster performance of 12 catches for 154 yards. While Jefferson's production accounted for over half of Cousins' passing yards, the signal caller also notched a pair of one-yard touchdowns. First, he gave Jalen Reagor a push pass to score in the second quarter, before sneaking in himself to take the lead in the fourth. In doing so, Cousins helped the Vikings secure first place in the NFC North, giving them three consecutive wins ahead of Week 6's matchup versus the Dolphins.

Cousins completed 25 of 38 passes for 273 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Sunday's 28-25 win over the Saints.

Cousins moved the Vikings' offense effectively throughout the game but regularly stalled in the red zone. He managed his lone touchdown of the game midway through the first quarter on a 15-yard connection with Alexander Mattison. Cousins also regularly found Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen for solid gains, though his production was ultimately capped by his inability to finish drives. More positively, Cousins has managed at least 260 passing yards in three of four games to begin the season.

Cousins completed 24 of 41 passes for 260 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in Sunday's 28-24 win over the Lions.

Cousins was forced to focus on his peripheral options as the Lions defensive gameplan was to keep the ball out of Justin Jefferson's hands. He took advantage, finding Adam Thielen and KJ Osborn for touchdowns of one and 28 yards, respectively. Cousins only averaged 6.3 yards per attempt, so he wasn't particularly efficient. However, he bounced back from a poor Week 2 performance and has managed at least 260 passing yards and multiple touchdowns in two of three games on the campaign.

Cousins completed 27 of 46 attempts for 221 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions and rushed twice for 20 yards in the Vikings' 24-7 loss to the Eagles on Monday night. He also committed a fumble recovered by Minnesota.

In contrast to a stellar first full game in head coach Kevin O'Connell's offense in Week 1, Cousins slogged through a messy performance that saw him short-circuit drives at the goal line, the Eagles' 13-yard line and the end zone, the final pick occurring with 7:07 remaining and snuffing out any possibility of a comeback for Minnesota. Cousins threw his one touchdown to Irv Smith in the second quarter, and he continued to focus heavily on Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen to the tune of 10 completions on 19 targets. The veteran signal-caller will aim to bounce back in a Week 3 NFC North home battle against the Lions on Sunday.

Cousins completed 23 of 32 passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 23-7 win over the Packers.

Cousins leaned heavily on star wideout Justin Jefferson, finding him nine times for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Still, it was an efficient outing from the signal-caller, playing a clean game in new coach Kevin O'Connell's debut. Cousins will strive to keep his squad's early-season momentum going in Week 2 versus the Eagles.

Cousins is not in line to play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Broncos.

Cousins is one of 33 players the team announced as not slated to play in the contest, a group that included all of Minnesota's top skill players. Cousins' next start will occur in Week 1 against the Packers, with Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn set to serve as his top options at wideout out of the gate this season.

Cousins doesn't expect to play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Broncos, Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Supporting the notion that Cousins will be held out of the contest is that coach Kevin O'Connell doesn't expect many, if any of Minnesota's starters to play versus Denver. In that context, Sean Mannion, Kellen Mond and Nick Mullens would be the team's QB options on Saturday.

Cousins and most other starters are not expected to play in Saturday's preseason game against the 49ers.

The list also includes RB Dalvin Cook and each of the team's top three wide receivers (Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, K.J. Osborn). With Cousins out, Sean Mannion and Kellen Mond are Minnesota's two options under center.

Cousins (illness) has been cleared to return to practice Wednesday after having missed the Vikings' preseason opener against the Raiders due to a positive COVID-19 test, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.

Cousins spent five days away from the team after testing positive for COVID-19, but he's now been cleared to resume a normal workload. His symptoms were reportedly minimal. The veteran signal-caller is expected to immediately resume handling first-team reps, and he's back on the field in time to get some scrimmage work in against the 49ers. It remains to be seen, though, whether Cousins will take the field during the Vikings' second preseason game, Sunday versus San Francisco, or whether Sean Mannion and Kellen Mond will once again handle the team's QB reps.

Cousins was not feeling well Thursday and was sent home by the Vikings, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.

At this stage it's not clear how long the QB will be away from the team, with Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press relaying via coach Kevin O'Connell that it remains to be seen if Cousins will be available to play in Sunday's preseason game against the Raiders.

Cousins will sign a one-year, $35 million contract extension with the Vikings on Sunday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Cousins drew some trade interest during the offseason as several other veteran quarterbacks were dealt recently, but he'll remain under contract with Minnesota through the 2023 season on a deal that includes a no-trade clause. His $35 million salary is fully guaranteed and will free up nearly $14 million in cap room for the Vikings heading into free agency. The 33-year-old completed 372 of 561 passes for 4,221 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven touchdowns while rushing 29 times for 115 yards and a touchdown during the 2022 campaign, and he drew praise from new head coach Kevin O'Connell in February.

New Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Thursday that he anticipates that Cousins will be a part of the team's plans in 2022, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Cousins is entering the final year of his contract with the Vikings and has been linked to trade rumors early in the offseason, in part because of his $45 million cap hit that he carries in 2022. However, he's been a consistent player under center across his first four seasons in Minnesota, as he's passed for at least 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns in three of those four years while throwing no more than 13 interceptions in any season. O'Connell previously worked with Cousins when he was the quarterbacks coach in Washington during the 2017 campaign, and the offensive-minded coach plans to call plays for the first time to begin his tenure with the Vikings.

Cousins completed 14 of 22 passes for 250 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in Sunday's 31-17 win over the Bears.

Cousins returned from a one-game absence while on the reserve/COVID-19 list to end the season on a strong note. He led an impressive comeback, tossing three lengthy touchdowns that went for 44, 45 and 21 yards to three different receivers. Those explosive plays helped Cousins overcome a lack of volume, as his 22 pass attempts were his fewest on the campaign. Though Cousins is highly scrutinized, he's now reached 30 passing touchdowns and 4,000 passing yards in three of his last four seasons.

Cousins was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday afternoon, shortly after coach Mike Zimmer said Cousins will start Sunday's game against Chicago, Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

With that, Cousins returns to the lineup and boosts the Week 18 fantasy prospects of his teammates, namely Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn and Tyler Conklin. Per Zimmer, the Vikings won't make any adjustments to playing time based on their recent elimination from the playoffs.

Cousins (illness) is on track to come off the reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of Sunday's game against the Bears, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Per coach Mike Zimmer, Cousins is back at the Vikings' facility Wednesday, which sets the stage for the QB to officially come off the list, with an official transaction thus looming. With that in mind, Zimmer confirmed that Cousins is slated to start against Chicago this weekend.

Cousins (illness) was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday.

Cousins tested positive for the virus, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, and will be sidelined for Sunday night's matchup with the Packers. Kellen Mond and Kyle Sloter are the remaining quarterbacks on Minnesota's active roster, as top backup Sean Mannion is also on the COVID list after testing positive last weekend.

Cousins tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday and will be unavailable for Sunday's game against the Packers since he's unvaccinated, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Even with the updated league protocols that include a reduced quarantine period for positive test results, Cousins will be out for Sunday's divisional matchup since he tested positive so close to the game and is unvaccinated. It's a tough blow for the Vikings, which are trailing the 49ers and Eagles by one game each for the final two playoff spots in the NFC. Kellen Mond and Kyle Sloter are the quarterbacks currently available on Minnesota's roster for this weekend, unless Sean Mannion (illness) is able to return from the COVID-19 list.

Cousins completed 27 of 38 passes for 315 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Sunday's 30-23 loss to the Rams.

The Vikings were playing from behind for nearly the entire game, which allowed Cousins to rack up plenty of volume. He connected on four completions that went for over 20 yards with Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn and Adam Thielen (ankle). The result was only his third game with 300 or more passing yards in his last nine starts. Despite the gaudy yardage total, Cousins' fantasy production was held back by the fact that he managed to throw for only one touchdown, which came midway through the fourth quarter. Cousins may have to take to the air plenty once again in Week 17 for a matchup against the Packers.

Cousins (ribs) was a full practice participant Thursday, Craig Peters of the Vikings' official site reports.

One day removed from logging a rare limited session Wednesday due to a rib issue, Cousins handled every practice rep thrown his way. The Vikings took a hit in the skill positions Thursday when Dalvin Cook (illness) tested positive for COVID-19, while Adam Thielen (ankle) managed a second consecutive LP on the team's injury report. There's a distinct possibility Cousins could be without both Cook -- who won't play Sunday -- and Thielen this weekend against the Rams, leaving Justin Jefferson, Alexander Mattison, K.J. Osborn and Tyler Conklin as his top options on offense.

Cousins was limited at Wednesday's walkthrough due to a rib injury.

Cousins rarely misses games, let alone practice reps, so his inclusion on the Vikings' first Week 16 injury report is somewhat of a concern. Still, he managed to mix into some drills and has two more sessions this week to get back to his customary full allotment of reps.

Cousins completed 12 of 24 passes for 87 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Vikings' 17-9 win over the Bears on Monday night. He also rushed twice for 10 yards and committed a fumble that was recovered by the Vikings.

The ugly stat line sums up how choppy the night was for the Vikings offense, but Cousins prevented a total fantasy washout for managers rolling with him their postseason contests by firing touchdown passes to Justin Jefferson and Ihmir Smith-Marsette in the first and third quarters, respectively. In fairness to the veteran quarterback, he also endured constant pressure, taking four sacks and getting hit seven times overall. The yardage total was the lowest career figure for Cousins in a start, but paired with a strong showing by the defense and a workmanlike effort from Dalvin Cook (28 carries, 89 yards), it proved enough for a key late-season win. Cousins next chance to keep Minnesota's playoff hopes alive comes in a Week 16 home matchup against the Rams that will almost certainly require Minnesota to be a lot more aggressive through the air than Monday night.

Cousins completed 14 of 31 passes for 216 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Vikings' 36-28 win over the Steelers on Thursday night. He also rushed twice for 14 yards.

Cousins went into the contest with a sparkling 25:3 TD:INT on the season, along with an impressive 68.4 percent completion rate. Those numbers went by the wayside Thursday in what was a tough matchup against a short-handed but gritty Steelers defense, one that never sacked Cousins but recorded six hits on him and also saddled him with his first multi-interception performance since Week 6 of last season. Cousins did make up for the pair of turnovers with touchdown passes of 14 and 62 yards to Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn, the latter a critical score with 10:51 remaining after the Steelers had closed to within nine points. The veteran signal-caller extended his multi-touchdown streak to six games with the two scoring tosses, a stretch he'll look to extend at the expense of the Bears in a Week 15 Monday night battle on Dec. 20.

Cousins completed 30 of 40 pass attempts for 340 yards and two touchdowns while losing a fumble in Sunday's 29-27 loss to the Lions.

Cousins led what appeared to be a game-winning drive near the end of the fourth quarter, but was forced to helplessly watch Minnesota's defense cough up the lead as time expired. Despite the embarrassing loss to the no-longer win-less Lions, Cousins was able to continue his recent trend of premier play from the pocket. The 32-year-old is quietly stringing together one of his finest seasons as a pro, completing 69 percent of his passes for 3,353 yards and a sparkling 25:3 TD:INT ratio through 12 games. The Steelers will provide a stiffer test compared to the Lions from a defensive perspective, but Cousins remains in startable option in all formats heading in this week's Thursday Night Football matchup.

Cousins completed 20 of 32 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns with an interception in Sunday's 34-28 loss to the 49ers.

He hit Adam Thielen for a pair of first-half scores, but the Vikings' passing game fell quiet in the second half and Cousins couldn't put together a game-tying drive during a scoreless fourth quarter. The 33-year-old QB has tossed multiple touchdowns in four straight games, a streak he'll look to extend -- albeit with better results -- in Week 13 against the Lions.

Cousins completed 24 of 35 pass attempts for 341 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 34-31 win over Green Bay.

Cousins went into a matchup that can be challenging for opposing quarterbacks and not only excelled, but also led his team to a surprising victory. The 33-year-old has been on a roll of late, completing 67 percent of his passes for 1,379 yards with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions over his last five contests. Cousins will look to keep his momentum rolling next Sunday against a San Francisco squad that is very thin in the secondary.

Cousins completed 25 of 37 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 27-20 win over the Chargers.

Both scores were caught by Tyler Conklin, but Cousins' favorite target on the day was Justin Jefferson, who hauled in nearly 50 percent of the quarterback's passing yards. It's the sixth time in nine games Cousins has tossed multiple TDs, and he'll take a sharp 18:2 TD:INT into a Week 11 clash with the Packers.

Cousins completed 17 of 28 passes for 187 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the Vikings' 34-31 overtime loss to the Ravens on Sunday. He also scored a one-yard touchdown on his only rush attempt.

Cousins didn't take a single sack and stayed away from turnovers altogether, but he still turned in an underwhelming effort from a yardage perspective against what had been an inconsistent secondary. Nevertheless, he delivered for fantasy managers with his three total touchdowns, with the two through the air going to Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen from 50 and one yard out in the first and fourth quarters, respectively. Cousins has been under 200 passing yards in two straight games and will have an uphill battle to improve much on his yardage numbers against the stingy Chargers secondary in Week 10.

Cousins completed 23 of 35 pass attempts for 184 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 20-16 loss to the Cowboys.

Cousins only took one sack Sunday, but he seemed to be under constant pressure from the Cowboys' pass rush throughout the contest. This resulted in shorter throws from the veteran arm (5.3 yards per attempt), and some miscommunications with his receivers, as evidenced by his visible frustration at the end of multiple stalled drives. Cousins had been performing at a high level prior to Sunday's rough showing, and he will get a golden opportunity to get things back on track in a tasty matchup against the Ravens' league-worst pass defense in Week 9.

Cousins completed 33 of 48 pass attempts for 373 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 34-28 overtime win over the Panthers.

Cousins was brilliant in this contest, and against a Panthers defense that is no pushover either. Having a healthy Dalvin Cook back certainly helped ease the opponent's defensive focus away from the passing attack, which could bode well for the veteran arm if his star back can stay healthy following the team's upcoming bye. Cousins will head into said bye with a strong start to the season overall, producing three 300-plus yard and four multi-touchdown games, all while completing over two-thirds of his passes through six contests.

Cousins completed 20 of 387 passes for 203 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the Vikings' 14-7 loss to the Browns on Sunday. He also rushed twice for no gain.

Cousins appeared primed for another big day akin to his Week 3 performance against the Seahawks when he led the Vikings on a 14-play, 75-yard opening drive that he capped off with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson. However, that would essentially prove to be the high point of the veteran quarterback's day, as he was subsequently sacked twice, picked off once and victimized by inaccuracy and tight coverage on the part of the Browns secondary. Cousins' lackluster showing naturally capped the fantasy value of his stellar receiver duo of Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen for the afternoon, while Cousins failed to throw multiple touchdown passes for the first time this season. The entire Vikings offense will look to bounce back in a favorable Week 5 home matchup against the Lions.

Cousins completed 30 of 38 passes for 323 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 30-17 win over the Seahawks.

He also gained two yards on his lone carry. Cousins has no trouble picking apart the Seahawks' secondary and for the second straight game found three different targets in the end zone, this time connecting with Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and Tyler Conklin for scores. Cousins will take an eye-popping 73.9 percent completion rate and 8:0 TD:INT into a Week 4 home tilt against the Browns.

Cousins completed 22 of 32 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 34-33 loss to the Cardinals.

He also added 35 rushing yards on two carries. Cousins was efficient all afternoon, hitting K.J. Osborn, Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson for scores in the first half, and he had the Vikings in position to kick a game-winning field goal at the end of the fourth quarter but Greg Joseph missed from 37 yards out. Cousins has looked very good through two games but has two narrow road losses to show for it, a streak he'll look to snap in Week 3 at home against the Seahawks.

Cousins completed 36 of 49 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 27-24 overtime loss to the Bengals.

Cousins connected with reliable target Adam Thielen for touchdowns of five and 24 yards, then helped erase a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter by setting up a Dalvin Cook rushing touchdown and Greg Joseph's game-tying 53-yard field goal as time expired. The veteran quarterback saw plenty of volume in a game that lasted nearly 75 minutes before Dalvin Cook's fumble set up the Bengals' game-winning field goal. Cousins will likely take to the air aplenty again in Week 2 against Arizona.

Cousins completed five of seven passes for 57 yards in Friday night's 28-25 preseason loss to the Chiefs.

Cousins once again played three drives, leading the Vikings to a field goal out of the gate before being forced to punt twice. The signal-caller was without starting wideouts Justin Jefferson (shoulder) and Adam Thielen (thigh), and instead showed a good rapport with tight end Irv Smith, who caught both his targets for 39 yards. With the preseason now in the books, Cousins will look forward to having all his weapons available ahead of Week 1's matchup against the Bengals.

Coach Mike Zimmer said his plan for Friday's preseason game against the Chiefs will be similar to last week, suggesting Cousins and other starters could get a quarter or so of playing time, Eric Smith of the Vikings' official website reports.

Cousins completed five of seven passes for 23 yards in last week's preseason loss to the Colts, failing to produce any points on three drives while playing into the second quarter. He may be throwing to a crew of backups if he suits up Friday night, as Justin Jefferson (shoulder) and Adam Thielen (thigh) are still banged up, while Dalvin Cook could be rested even if most other starters play.

Cousins completed five of seven passes for 23 yards and had a nine-yard carry during Saturday's preseason loss to the Colts.

Cousins was without Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson (shoulder), and coach Mike Zimmer revealed after the game that Adam Thielen has a bruised thigh, the result of a knee to the region early in the contest, per Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Considering the bad injury luck for the Vikings' skill positions this month, it wouldn't surprise if the team takes every precaution to reach Week 1 with the aforementioned quartet all healthy and available. As a result, Cousins' exhibition season may be over after directing three possessions Saturday.

Cousins and many starters will play in Saturday's preseason game against Indianapolis, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Head coach Mike Zimmer said he didn't have a set number of plays for Cousins or the starting offense, so he could see more than a series or two of action.

Cousins won't play in Saturday's preseason game against the Broncos, Chad Graff of The Athletic reports.

The Vikings will hold out 30 players, including Cousins, RB Dalvin Cook and WRs Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. Coach Mike Zimmer likely will give his starters some run in the second and/or third preseason game, but it may be just a few drives.

Cousins has been activated from the COVID-19 reserve list for Thursday's practice, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

As expected, Cousins will rejoin his teammates after missing five days. He was a close contact of rookie QB Kellen Mond, who tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend and remains out of action Thursday. The third-round pick may eventually be a threat to Cousins, but the 33-year-old is safe for the time being and even has guaranteed base salaries for the final two years (2021-22) of his contract.

Coach Mike Zimmer expects Cousins (undisclosed) to return to the Vikings' facilities Thursday, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

If Zimmer's comment comes to pass, Cousins merely was a close contact of Kellen Mond -- who test positive for COVID-19 on Saturday -- and didn't catch the virus himself. Once the Vikings activated Cousins from the reserve/COVID-19 list, the QB room will inch closer back to normal, with just Mond out of commission for another five days, at least.

Cousins (undisclosed) is unavailable while going through the COVID-19 protocols, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

It's unclear whether the Cousins tested positive for the virus, but he'll be sidelined until he clears the protocols regardless. Kellen Mond (undisclosed) and Nate Stanley (undisclosed) are also caught up in the protocols, leaving Jake Browning to take all the reps at quarterback for the immediate future.

This could be a make-or-break season for Cousins with the Vikings, according to Arif Hasan of The Athletic.

Cousins has thrown 91 touchdowns against 29 interceptions in his three years with the Vikings, but he's reached the playoffs just once and has a .543 winning percentage in the regular season. While a poor defense was the bigger problem in Minnesota last year, the team's selection of QB Kellen Mond at 66th overall in the 2021 draft suggests Cousins could be in trouble if he doesn't reach the playoffs this season. His two-year contract includes fully guaranteed base salaries in 2021 ($21 million) and 2022 ($35 million), so any financial incentive for moving on from Cousins would have to involve a trade. In any case, it's more of a concern for next offseason, as the Vikings are optimistic Cousins can lead them to the playoffs with the help of a seemingly improved defense. The soon-to-be 33-year-old QB has plenty to work with in the Minnesota offense, surrounded by RB Dalvin Cook, WR Justin Jeferson, WR Adam Thielen and TE Irv Smith.

Cousins completed 28 of 40 pass attempts for 405 yards and three touchdowns, adding a one-yard TD run during Sunday's 37-35 win against the Lions.

Cousins' Vikings have missed the postseason for the second time in three years; however, the 32-year-old went on a statistical tear over the latter half of 2020. The $84 million man composed a 12:10 TD:INT over his first seven outings of the year, while the team fell to a 2-5 start. Weeks 9 through 17, Cousins posted an uber-efficient 23:3 TD:INT, posting six three-TD passing performances in the span of nine weeks while leading his team to a 5-4 mark. The veteran signal-caller is under contract through 2022, as Minnesota remains in search of its first Super Bowl title.

Cousins completed 27 of 41 passes for 291 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in the Vikings' 52-33 loss to the Saints on Friday. He also committed a fumble that was recovered by the offense.

Facing one of the best turnover-forcing defensive units in the league, Cousins was able to refrain from giving the ball away, a relatively rate feat for the veteran signal-caller. Cousins actually put together an impressive performance that would have been good enough to topple many teams, had he gotten a better performance from his defense. The 32-year-old has now tossed multiple touchdowns in seven of the last eight games, an excellent stretch that's made him one of the best and most consistent fantasy assets at the quarterback position during the latter portion of the campaign. Now having thrown a career-high 32 touchdown passes through 15 games, Cousins will look to close out his ninth season in strong fashion versus the vulnerable Lions defense in Week 17.

Cousins completed 24 of 35 passes for 271 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Vikings' 33-27 loss to the Bears on Sunday. He also committed a fumble, but it was recovered by the offense.

Cousins took another three sacks and was hit a whopping 11 times overall, but he hung tough and gave the Vikings a chance to win until failing to connect on a Hail Mary from the Bears' 33-yard line with seven seconds remaining. The veteran signal-caller connected with Adam Thielen and Tyler Conklin for his two scoring passes, but he enjoyed the most chemistry with Justin Jefferson, hitting the rookie on eight occasions for 104 yards. Cousins has now thrown for at least Sunday's 271 yards in five of his last six contests while throwing for multiple scores in six of the last seven, making him an above-average fantasy asset at a pivotal time of the season. The 32-year-old will look to keep up his strong numbers against the Saints in a Week 16 Christmas Day showdown.

Cousins completed 24 of 37 passes for 225 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions in the Vikings' 26-14 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday. He also gained 41 yards on five rushes, threw a two-point conversion pass and committed two fumbles, losing one.

Cousins had a busy afternoon with the game progressively getting away from the Vikings, but even with a relatively elevated 37 attempts, he had a difficult time consistently connecting with top targets Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. Part of the reason was a relentless Buccaneers pass rush, which dropped Cousins on six occasions and hit him 12 times overall. The veteran signal-caller connected with tight end Irv Smith for his once scoring toss from 14 yards out late in the third quarter, but he saw a streak of five games with multiple touchdown passes snapped. Cousins will look to bounce back in a tough matchup against the division-rival Bears in a Week 15 battle.

Cousins completed 28 of 43 passes for 305 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in Sunday's 27-24 overtime win over the Jaguars. He added 12 yards on three carries and lost a fumble.

Cousins avoided a first-half shutout with a three-yard touchdown to Adam Thielen 2:50 before halftime. He threw a pick-six on the first play of the second half but rebounded on the ensuing drive, which Cousins capped with a 12-yard score to C.J. Ham. Cousins' Jekyll-and-Hyde performance continued on the next two drives, which ended with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson followed by a Cousins fumble on a bad exchange with running back Dalvin Cook on Jacksonville's one-yard line. While the quarterback's mistakes gave Jacksonville a chance, Minnesota's defense stepped up with a clutch interception in overtime to seal the win. Cousins and the Vikings will continue their quest to work back into the playoff picture against the Buccaneers in Week 14.

Cousins completed 34 of 45 passes for 307 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in the Vikings' 28-27 win over the Panthers on Sunday. He also rushed four times for 19 yards and lost a fumble.

Playing without top target Adam Thielen (reserve/COVID-19), Cousins nevertheless managed to put together an excellent fantasy performance and capped off what proved to be a game-winning drive with a clutch 10-yard touchdown pass to Chad Beebe in the closing minute. Cousins also connected with Justin Jefferson for scoring tosses of 12 and 10 yards in the first and fourth quarter, respectively, leading to his fourth consecutive contest with multiple touchdown throws. Cousins also has no fewer than 292 passing yards in three straight contests, a streak he'll look to extend in a highly favorable home matchup versus the Jaguars in Week 13.

Cousins completed 22 of 30 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 31-28 loss to the Cowboys.

As expected, the Minnesota offense erupted against a Dallas defense that has been among the most generous units in the league this season. Unfortunately, the Vikings defense proved to be even worse. Cousins has been locked in since the team's bye, posting a 9:1 TD:INT over the last four games with a 9.9 YPA, but he could be facing a tougher challenge in Week 12 against a Panthers defense that just shut out the Lions.

Cousins completed 25 of 36 passes for 292 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in Monday night's 19-13 win over the Bears.

Cousins played well while finally winning his first Monday-night start in 10 career tries. The veteran began by tossing a 17-yard touchdown to Adam Thielen, and although the wideout dropped a pass that was then intercepted shortly afterward, Cousins went back to him for the game-winning, six-yard touchdown during the fourth quarter. In doing so, Cousins brought his season tally to 17 touchdowns -- nine of which have gone to Thielen -- and is now gifted with a Week 11 matchup against a Cowboys secondary that's allowed the second-most passing scores this season.

Cousins completed 13 of 20 pass attempts for 220 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in Week 9 against the Lions.

Cousins was limited by game script yet again and has combined to throw only 34 passes in the team's past two games. Even so, he managed his third three-touchdown performance of the season while also racking up 11 yards per attempt. The entire Vikings' offense has benefitted from the return of Dalvin Cook, who has kept the Vikings offense moving and played a significant role on drives that were capped by Cousins' passing scores. Cousins will likely be stuck in another slow-paced matchup in Week 10 against Chicago.

Cousins completed 11 of 14 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-22 win over the Packers.

Dalvin Cook did all the work for the Vikings, scoring three rushing TDs before taking a screen pass from Cousins 50 yards for the winning touchdown late in the third quarter. Still, the veteran QB didn't commit any turnovers, just the second time in seven starts this season he's avoided coughing up the ball. Cousins could be a little more involved in Week 9 against a Lions defense that just gave up three passing TDs to Philip Rivers.

Cousins went 24-for-36 passing with 343 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions during Sunday's 40-23 loss to the Falcons.

The 32-year-old signal-caller got off to a horrific start Sunday, committing three first-half interceptions for the first time in his NFL career. Cousins has logged three multi-TD outings thus far in the 2020 campaign, though he's already committed 11 giveaways. Last season he threw six interceptions across 15 regular-season appearances, but in 2020 he already has 10 through the first six weeks. The 1-5 Vikings get a chance to lick their wounds over the team's bye week, but a Nov. 1 matchup against division-leading Green Bay lingers on the other side.

Cousins completed 27 of 39 pass attempts for 249 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and also lost a fumble in Sunday's 27-26 loss to the Seahawks.

Cousins did his best to keep his team in position for the win all the way up to the bitter end, but eventually fell short to a superior quarterback in Russell Wilson. The 32-year-old continues to be a fantasy disappointment with 1,132 passing yards and an 8:7 TD:INT ratio through five games despite being surrounded by talented position players. A shoddy offensive line (three sacks and two strip fumbles tonight) is likely the root cause of this offense's struggles, as Cousins was constantly met with pressure on five and seven-step drops. The good news for the veteran signal-caller is that a very favorable matchup lies ahead in the form of the Atlanta Falcons, so Cousins may be a smart budget play in DFS formats for Week 6.

Cousins went 16-for-22 passing with 260 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's 31-23 win against the Texans. He added five rushing yards on four attempts.

The 32-year-old QB avoided committing a turnover in a game for the first time this season, after he threw an average of two interceptions per game Weeks 1 through 3. Cousins still hasn't eclipsed the 260-yard passing mark in 2020, but at least he has multiple passing TDs in three of his four outings to this point. Next, Cousins will face a Seahawks defense that surrendered 362 combined passing and rushing yards to Miami's Ryan Fitzpatrick in Week 4.

Cousins completed 16 of his 27 pass attempts for 251 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in Week 3 against Tennessee.

Cousins bounced back from an abysmal Week 2 performance for his first three-touchdown effort of the 2020 season. The highlight came on a 71-yard deep throw to rookie Justin Jefferson midway through the second quarter to give the Vikings a 24-12 lead. However, Cousins didn't play mistake free as he threw two interceptions in the second half -- one on the team's first drive of the third quarter and another as the team was attempting to move down the field for the winning score late in the final quarter. Cousins and the Vikings' passing attack should be in a position to succeed in a Week 4 matchup against the Texans.

Cousins completed 11 of 26 pass attempts for 113 yards, throwing three interceptions during Sunday's 28-11 loss to the Colts.

Indianapolis dominated Minnesota's front five in the pass rush, collecting seven QB hits and three sacks while deflecting nine of Cousins' pass attempts on the afternoon. The 32-year-old signal-caller was capable of putting up decent production against Green Bay last week with his team trailing throughout the second half, as he wrapped up with 259 passing yards and two touchdowns. Minnesota had only four offensive possesions throughout the entirety of the second half Sunday against Indianapolis, with the first three opportunities going interception, punt, punt on a combined 11 plays. Cousins looks to get back on track Week 3, with the Vikings taking on a Titans defense that gave up 339 passing yards and three touchdowns to Gardner Minshew on Sunday.

Cousins completed 19 of 25 passes for 259 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Vikings' 43-34 loss to the Packers on Sunday. He also rushed four times for 34 yards and threw a two-point conversion pass.

Fantasy managers were undoubtedly left mostly satisfied with Cousins' performance, considering he was involved in three scoring plays overall. However, in a real-world football sense, Cousins was less than effective with his trio of scoring tosses (including his two-point pass) to Adam Thielen all coming in the fourth quarter and the Vikings having little realistic chance to mount a successful comeback. Cousins did average an impressive 10.4 yards per attempt while completing passes of 22, 29 and 37 yards to Kyle Rudolph, Bisi Johnson and Thielen, respectively, but he'll look to keep Minnesota's offense on steadier footing in a Week 2 interconference battle against the Colts next Sunday.

Cousins has displayed increased accuracy as training camp has progressed, Arif Hasan of The Athletic reports.

Cousins has a number of incumbent receivers to throw to, most notably Adam Thielen, but the offseason trade of Stefon Diggs to the Bills has opened up a significant number of reps. Rookie first-round pick Justin Jefferson likely is the long-term answer as the No. 2 WR, but 2019 seventh-rounder Bisi Johnson has been working ahead of him so far in camp. During two campaigns with Diggs on board, Cousins completed a healthy 68.7 percent of his passes and averaged 7.5 yards per attempt, marks that could be less stable as he incorporates Jefferson into what remains a run-heavy scheme.

Cousins is signing a two-year contract extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Cousins signed a fully guaranteed three-year, $84 million contract during the 2018 offseason, and the Vikings have seen enough to know that they want him around past 2020. The 31-year-old quarterback has completed 69.7 percent of his passes for 7.5 yards per attempt in a Minnesota uniform, tossing 56 touchdowns against 16 interceptions in 31 regular-season games. Cousins will work with a new offensive coordinator in 2020, as the Vikings have promoted Gary Kubiak to replace Kevin Stefanski.

Cousins completed 21 of 29 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown with one interception in Saturday's 27-10 loss to the 49ers in the NFC divisional round.

The Minnesota offense couldn't get much going either on the ground or through the air against one of the league's elite defenses, and while Cousins was accurate, he had little luck stretching the field aside from a 41-yard TD strike to Stefon Diggs in the first quarter. The 31-year-old QB finished his second regular season with the Vikings having completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 3,603 yards and a sharp 26:6 TD:INT through 15 games, as well as an 8.1 YPA that was a full yard better than last year's performance. Dalvin Cook figures to be the focal point of the team's attack again in 2020 barring a major shakeup in the coaching staff, but Cousins demonstrated this season that he's more effective when he isn't called upon to carry the offense himself.