Kirk Cousins may not be on the field for the Vikings for the remainder of the 2023 season but he'll certainly be with them in spirit, among other ways.
After Cousins suffered a season-ending injury in Minnesota's Week 8 victory over Green Bay, the team begins life without its signal-caller with a visit to Atlanta in Week 9. Ahead of the game, Cousins' teammates honored him in the best way they could.
During pregame warmups at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, wide receivers Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor were among Vikings players who were spotted wearing t-shirts featuring Cousins' name and likeness.
Vikings players are showing love to Kirk Cousins today 🫶💜 pic.twitter.com/HhovCl7BMY
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 5, 2023
MORE: Get the latest injury updates on Vikings QB Kirk Cousins
The gesture illustrates the genuine relationship that Cousins has developed with his receivers, who, naturally rely on him heavily for their success. In Week 8, Cousins' leadership was praised as he provided his team with encouragement moments after suffering a devastating injury.
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) October 29, 2023
The Vikings, who moved to 4-4 in the game Cousins went down, will look to rally around the loss of their on-field leader to make a playoff push. In his absence, rookie Jaren Hall and trade deadline acquisition Josh Dobbs will be the quarterbacks tasked with leading the way.
What is Kirk Cousins' injury?
Kirk Cousins suffered a torn right Achilles tendon early in the fourth quarter of Minnesota's Week 8 visit to Green Bay.
As Cousins dropped back, he suffered the non-contact injury while attempting to plant his right foot. After suffering the injury on Oct. 29, Cousins and the Vikings announced that he had undergone successful surgery to repair his torn Achilles tendon.
Cousins, 35, was placed on injured reserve following the injury. He now begins a process of recovery and rehab that, historically, takes nine to 12 months.
At the end of the 2023 season, Cousins will become a free agent, adding another element to his process of returning to the field.
