The Minnesota Vikings are welcoming Kirk Cousins home to Minneapolis after a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders and the quarterback dropped a handful of messages on social media after the deal went through on Tuesday, November 10.
In classic Cousins fashion, he had nothing but kind words and encouragement for the Raiders organization, which he helped to a 4-5 start to this season under new head coach Klint Kubiak while playing in front of, and mentoring, rookie QB and No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza.
“Thank you Raider Nation!” Cousins posted to Instagram. “Go get em @fernandomendoza.”
Kubiak also issued a statement on Cousins Tuesday after the Raiders and Vikings finalized the deal, which sent Minnesota’s third-round pick in 2027 to Las Vegas in exchange for the quarterback.
“We’re going to miss Kirk … one of the most unselfish guys I’ve ever been around,” Kubiak said, per Paul Gutierrez of Raiders.com. “His influence on Fernando and our QB room has been tremendous. He’s prepared.”
Kirk Cousins Excited to Return to Vikings Organization That Has Legitimate Chance at Playoff Run
Cousins also had a few words to hype up Vikings fans ahead of his trip back to Minnesota, where he will presumably work like crazy to get back up to speed in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense before starting against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday in a critical NFC North matchup.
“See you soon, MN! #SKOL,” Cousins posted to his X account.
Cousins took his last snap in a Vikings uniform at Lambeau Field on October 29, 2023. He sustained an Achilles tear during that game, which sidelined him for the season.
The quarterback then departed for the Atlanta Falcons the following spring, where he appeared in 24 games that included 22 starts and a record of 12-10.
He next landed in Las Vegas ahead of the 2026 campaign, tallying 2,340 yards, 20 TDs and eight INTs on a 64 percent completion rate across nine starts.
Kirk Cousins Returns to Vikings Where He Played Best Football of Career
Cousins played six seasons in Minnesota between 2018-23, earning three of his four career Pro Bowls as a member of the franchise.
He totaled more than 23,000 yards passing with the team to go along with 171 TDs and 55 INTs. Cousins’ record as the Vikings’ starter was 50-37-1 in the regular season. He went 1-2 in the playoffs across two postseason trips in Minnesota (2020, 2022).
O’Connell took over as head coach in Minnesota ahead of the 2022 campaign. In his first season with Cousins, the two went 13-4 together and won the division but lost a home game to the New York Giants over wildcard weekend by a score of 31-24.
Cousins is playing this season at 38 years old on a one-year, $11 million contract. He will be a free agent next March if the Vikings don’t sign him to an extension before then.
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins Issues Parting Message to Raiders, Fernando Mendoza