Kirk Cousins and wife Julie Cousins along with their son Cooper are settling into life in Minnesota. After years of uncertainty during his time with the Redskins, the Vikings locked Kirk into a long-term contract over the offseason. Kirk signed a three year, $82.5 million fully guaranteed deal with Minnesota.
The Cousins family are known for their frugality. Kirk drives a minivan he bought from his grandmother, and previously the couple spent their summers living with his parents to save money.
As a sign of his commitment to Julie, Kirk wears his wedding rings during games. Kirk told the USA Today that he was inspired by seeing Andy Dalton do the same thing.
Yeah, I think Andy [Dalton] was the first guy I saw do that, and so I guess he blazed the trail. My wife was thrilled. She loved it and, honestly, after I started wearing it and realized how much my wife was glad that I did, I realized, you know, I think it’s a good thing to promote marriage.
Learn more about Kirk’s wife, Julie.
1. Julie Starred in a Sleep Number Commercial With Kirk
Not only did Kirk shoot a commercial for Sleep Number, but he involved the whole family. Kirk narrates the commercial which shows clips of the quarterback playing for his new team. Julie is also spotlighted in the commercial as Kirk emphasizes how the matress helps the couple sleep.
The TV ad shows the couple playing with Cooper as well as their dog Bentley. Kirk did buy a used 2006 Mercedes at the fraction of the cost of a new car. In an interview with GQ, Kirk explained why the couple tries to be careful with their finances despite having such a high salary.
“I always wanted a fast car, a nice car,” Kirk explained to GQ. “I couldn’t justify the hundred-thousand-dollar car.”
2. Kirk Proposed on the Balcony of the Speaker of the House’s Office
Kirk has quite the proposal story. Over time, he developed a friendship with U.S. congressman Bill Huizenga. This friendship came in handy when it was time for Kirk to plan his proposal. He had his eyes on the Speaker of the House’s office. Kirk detailed the story to The Washington Post.
“I talked to my U.S. congressman from my home area in west Michigan, Bill Huizenga, who I had gotten to know a little bit,” Cousins told The Washington Post. “I called him to see if I could propose on the balcony of the Speaker of the House’s office, because I had been there before and seen the view and thought it was a great view. He said they could set it up.”
The proposal was a success, and the couple became engaged on November 22, 2013.
3. Julie Is Passionate About Fostering Dogs & Chose to Adopt Their Dog Bentley
The couple spends time fostering dogs, and have become advocates for animal adoptions. With Kirk’s crazy travel schedule, the couple initially felt it was better to foster a dog than commit to one full-time. According to The Washington Post, at one time the Cousins had fostered seven dogs in the span of 18 months.
Kirk explained to The Washington Post that the idea came from Julie.
“That’s all Julie,” Kirk told The Washington Post. “She just loves dogs. She can’t get enough of it. And so when we got married, it was kind of understood — she had warned me when we were dating, that was kind of an expectation. So we foster them, and we just get one at a time, and when it finds a home, we give it to that home and we take another one from the shelter.”
Their outlook changed a bit after they fell in love with a goldendoodle. After three days of fostering him, the Cousins ended up adopting Bentley for good. The couple even used Bentley to announce on Instagram the news of their new child.
4. The Cousins Welcomed Their Son Cooper to the World on September 29, 2017
The Cousins welcomed Cooper Cousins into the world on September 29, 2017. Kirk attempted to balance being an NFL quarterback while also having a newborn baby. While the birth happened on a Friday, Julie entered the hospital on the previous day. According to ESPN, Kirk FaceTimed into a meeting before his wife went into labor.
Colt McCoy detailed the request to ESPN.
“So he went through the meeting with us,” Colt told ESPN. “He was taking notes and I was talking to him about what Kevin [O’Connell] and Jay [Gruden] were telling me. My battery died so we were on there for a while.”
According to The Washington Post, Cooper was a sizable child weighing 9 pounds, 11 ounces at birth.
5. Julie Graduated From the University of Georgia & Was an Elementary School Teacher
The couple got married on June 28, 2014 in Julie’s hometown of Atlanta. Julie went to the University of Georgia in nearby Athens. She was an elementary school teacher early in their relationship.
In addition to their love for animals, the couple was involved in charitable work in the Washington D.C. area when Kirk played for the Redskins.
Julie apparently still has a soft spot for her hometown Falcons team as this Instagram photo shows.
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