The Las Vegas Raiders shipped Kirk Cousins back to the Minnesota Vikings in a blockbuster deal in the hours before the NFL trade deadline, but first they checked in with the veteran quarterback.
The Raiders went into the season with plans to slowly develop rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza behind Cousins, allowing him to take the reins at some point later in the season. The plans took a bit of a detour after the Raiders jumped out to a 3-0 start, but a four-game losing streak dropped them back out of contention and gave them the leeway to explore a trade for Cousins.
An NFL insider reported on Wednesday that the Vikings gave Cousins the final say on the trade, with the longtime NFL starter saying he wanted to return to his former team.
Kirk Cousins Consulted With Vikings Before Deal
The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero reported that the Vikings had been putting out feelers for quarterbacks ahead of the trade deadline, but an injury to Kyler Murray and a poor performance from backup Carson Wentz against the Buffalo Bills accelerated the plans.
Cousins also helped facilitate the trade by telling the Raiders that he would welcome a return to Minnesota and a chance to lead the Vikings back to the playoffs.
“With the trade compensation already in place, Cousins talked to his family, his longtime agent Mike McCartney, and Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, whose offense he operated at a higher and more consistent level than any Vikings QB has since he left after the 2023 season,” Pelissero reported. “By midday Tuesday, Cousins had made up his mind and informed Raiders GM John Spytek: He wanted to go back to Minnesota, rejoin a team that’s ready to make a playoff push, and potentially rewrite his complicated legacy at age 38.”
Raiders Ready for Fernando Mendoza Era to Begin
Tuesday’s trade will jump-start the Mendoza era, with the team ready to move onto the rookie quarterback starting in this week’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.
After the trade, Mendoza released a statement thanking Cousins for his mentorship during their months together.
“I wanted to make a statement where I really, truly, from the bottom of my heart, wanted to thank Kirk and the entire Cousins family, whether it was Julie, Cooper or Turner,” Mendoza said, via Yahoo Sports. “They’ve, as a family, done so much for me. They’ve essentially taken me into their household when they were here, and they welcomed me with open arms.
“It would have been really easy for Kirk to be the veteran quarterback, having already proved everything, to be more dismissive, but he had me with open arms and has taught me so many things. Whether it’s film study, how to operate as a starting quarterback, all the different, multi-faceted approaches that have made him so successful throughout his career. He has shared with no restrictions or no constraints, so I really appreciate him.”
Raiders Allowed Kirk Cousins to Make Final Decision on Rejoining Vikings