New Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins hasn’t listed all of the factors that resulted in the former Washington quarterback choosing the Vikings. Some of the key factors have emerged, however, as Cousins and others have discussed the situation.
Obviously, money played a big part in the process (that goes without saying). Playing home games indoors was, too. Another factor, as explained last week by Cousins on PFT Live and as reiterated by his father on 1500 ESPN on Monday, was the leadership structure of the Vikings.
“I think leadership is such a big part of having success in this league,” Kirk Cousins said on PFT Live. “Head coaches, general managers, ownership. The people who are making the big decisions and are steering the culture of your building and of your team. Those people have a major impact on your chances to win. The fact that there’s stability and also strong leadership from that standpoint excites me and had a big role in our decision to come to Minnesota. Just can’t wait to get started, get to know my teammates, and get to work.”
That’s a high-road way of saying that Kirk’s former team possibly didn’t have those qualities. His father, Don, took the same path, but the popcorn trail was a bit more clear.
“I’m thrilled that he’s part of an organization that, from every indication I get, is a healthy, well-led organization,” Don Cousins told ESPN 1500, via Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post. “That was our No. 1 priority. It was the No. 1 thing that we looked for, that we walked about, that we prayed about, was to be part of an organization that was believed was well-led and was unified from top to bottom, everyone heading in the right direction, together. We do believe, as Kirk said just a moment ago, within organizations, no matter what you’re leading, everything rises and falls on leadership. We believe this organization’s well-led.”
Those comments may not only be an implicit swipe at Washington but also a reflection of concern regarding the Jets. If Cousins had selected New York and if they hadn’t instantly become a playoff contender, the coach and/or G.M. could have been fired, which would have thrown Cousins’ career into flux and uncertainty. In Minnesota, coach Mike Zimmer and G.M. Rick Spielman seem to be entrenched; only a full-blown disaster in 2018 would raise questions about their job security.