With Tom Brady gone, the oldest quarterbacks in the NFL are suddenly a lot younger.
The fourth-oldest starting quarterback entering 2023 is now 35. Happy birthday, Kirk Cousins.
The only older starters are Aaron Rodgers (39), Matthew Stafford (35 as of February 2023), and Ryan Tannehill (35 as of July 2023).
The development underscores the biggest takeaway regarding Cousins the NFL quarterback. At this point of his career, he is who he is. Durable. Effective. Consistent. Productive.
But limited.
There’s a cap on what he can do. When the lights get bright, he’s not the same guy. He’s too cautious. He doesn’t cut it loose. He’s simply too aware of the magnitude of the moment.
We’ve seen it time and again. One o’clock Kirk is Superman. Prime-time Kirk is Clark Kent.
The best example of the dichotomy came in 2022. With a game at Buffalo on the line on fourth and 18, Cousins threw it up for Justin Jefferson. Then, with the season on the line in a wild-card game against the Giants, Cousins opted not to throw to Jefferson because he was double-covered — as if that would have kept Jefferson from getting the ball.
Instead, Cousins was forced to either take a sack or throw to tight end T.J. Hockenson five yards short of the sticks and hope for the best.
The best play would have been to trust J.J., obviously. Especially since the safety who came Jefferson’s way seemed to be caught flat footed, allowing Jefferson to blow right by him.
So here’s the question. Will Cousins’s mindset change, now that he’s 35? Maybe it will. Maybe he’ll care less about making a mistake on a big stage. Maybe he’ll feel more confident in his abilities at night, given the abilities he demonstrates in the daylight.
Maybe Kirk C. will find a way to not become Clark K. when Superman is needed most. If not, the Vikings will soon be looking for a new superhero.
And Cousins will soon be searching for a new Metropolis.
