When it comes to the upcoming Netflix series titled Quarterback, one of the three quarterbacks the show follows (Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, Marcus Mariota) will dominate. But while Mahomes supplies the happy ending via a come-from-behind Super Bowl victory, Cousins might supply much of the intrigue.
Cousins, a really-good-not-great quarterback, has reached over the first 11 years of his career his ceiling. We know who he is. We know what he is. In Quarterback, we’ll learn how he deals with that. We think.
A recent review of the show from Neal Justin of the Minneapolis Star Tribune says that, as to Cousins, “the producers skirt controversy, focusing instead on his work ethic, charity work and religious beliefs.” Peyton Manning (whose Omaha Productions produced the show along with NFL Films) suggested otherwise in last week’s comments to Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post.
For example, Manning said that Cousins shares his meetings with his psychologist.
“That was not part of the deal at all, but he said, ‘No, it’s OK, I want to have this documented,’” Manning said. “I thought it was awesome. It was real. It showed that it’s not all fun throwing game-winning touchdowns on Sundays.”
For Cousins (and Vikings fans), it’s usually only fun at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sundays and/or in games not regarded as “big.” That’s why, whenever he delivers a big throw in a big spot (like against the Bills on fourth and long), it makes people wonder whether he has finally figured out how to consistently do it.
Until he doesn’t, like when he nonchalantly threw several yards short of the sticks with the season on the line in the playoff loss to the Giants.
The noise around Cousins prompted Manning to take a different approach to the presentation. The show uses talking heads in the media to frame the weekly narrative for Cousins.
“At first, I went through and actually narrated each episode,” Manning said. “I filmed it. It just didn’t make as much sense. It just didn’t fit. They took it out and just had me in the beginning setting the stage. From that point, it was game on. This is what people were saying that week.”
For Cousins in 2022, most of what was said was likely very good, because the team won 13 of 17 regular-season games. But the bad still lingers heading into what could be his last season with the Vikings. Can he perform under the brightest lights, or will something go haywire? Again?
The Vikings are content to wait before extending the financial commitment. The risk for the Vikings is that, if Cousins does indeed reach a higher level of performance in his 12th NFL season, someone else (like the Rams or 49ers) might be more determined to bring Cousins aboard.
