Arm talent reigns supreme in the Cousins household, it seems.
Yankees pitcher Jake Cousins has acclimated himself well to the city of New York, posting a 1.95 ERA in 24 appearances out the bullpen for the Bronx Bombers. He recently recorded his first career save, and judging by his glimmering Baseball Savant page, it won't be his last.
Cousins, 30, isn't too far away from trying his luck on the open market. When he does, it would behoove him to enlist the services of his cousin as he attempts to get himself a contract commensurate with his career production thus far.
That's because Cousins' cousin is an athlete in his own right. You might've heard of him — Jake Cousins shares familial ties with Falcons QB Kirk Cousins.
The Cousins family has a trend of producing golden-armed standouts. Jake Cousins in no exception, following the path set by his older cousin to great aplomb in Year 4 of his big league career.
So, without further ado, here's what you need to know about Jake Cousins, Kirk Cousins and the bond — and bloodline — that ties the together.
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Is Jake Cousins related to Kirk Cousins?
Jake Cousins is, indeed, related to Kirk Cousins. The two are cousins of the second degree, a fact that Kirk Cousins, 36, made clear when the Nationals selected Jake in the 20th round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
Congrats to my cousin, Jake, being drafted by the Washington Nationals today! There's room for another Cousins in DC! pic.twitter.com/2beUJY6Hog
— Kirk Cousins (@KirkCousins8) June 14, 2017
The two grew up fairly close to one another — Jake lived in St. Charles, Illinois, while Kirk was born in Barrington, Illinois but attended high school in Holland, Michigan.
Kirk was the first to make it big, garnering interest from Michigan State and its former head coach, Mike Dantonio, who offered the lowly two-star recruit a scholarship after missing out on one of his top targets. His decision was an inspired one; Cousins became one of the Spartans' most decorated passers, leading them to a Big Ten title game before parlaying his success into a fourth-round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft.
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Jake Cousins, meanwhile, took his talents to Ivy League superpower Penn, racking up a handful of honors, including — most notably — a first-team All-Ivy League nod. Cousins entered into Washington's farm system in 2017, even recording a 2..48 ERA in 18 appearances with the Nationals' Low-A affiliates.
The Yankees newest pitcher, Jake Cousins, is actually quarterback Kirk Cousins' cousin
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) April 2, 2024
h/t @RealMichaelKay pic.twitter.com/Votpzy68ca
An injury spelled the end of his Washington career, however. And in 2019, he considered hanging up his spikes entirely.
“I was pretty close to hanging it up,” Jake Cousins said via The Daily Pennsylvanian, “but my family, my wife, just kept telling me, ‘Hey, let’s try and play this last year out and at least end on a good note, not hurt.’”
The situation appeared dire for Jake Cousins, who was without a big-league employer. Kirk Cousins offered him some sage advice, however, wisdom he stills grasps onto all these years later.
“In 20 years, when you look back at your life, are you going to wish that you quit baseball earlier," Jake Cousins recalled Kirk Cousins saying.
Jake Cousins made the most of his new lease on life, joining the Schaumburg Boomers of the independent Frontier League. Within months, he was back in an MLB farm system. Within a few years, he was on a big league roster.
So when you see a Cousins standing on the mound at Yankee Stadium, don't fear. It's not an aberration, nor a sign that you need some medical assistance. Rather, it's yet another reflection of the Cousins family's foray into the sports world, one that has proved quite fruitful thus far for its two most high-profile members.
