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Kevin Seifert, ESPN employees author
EAGAN, Minn. – Kirk Cousins’ ideas went to the worst attainable place final month as he was transported to the Lambeau Subject locker room after simply studying his proper Achilles had been torn.
“A whole lot of ideas undergo your thoughts, and one among them was, ‘Is that this the final time I play soccer?’” Cousins stated Friday in his first public feedback for the reason that Oct. 29 harm. weeks away I can say, ‘No, it will not be.’ I am excited to jot down the following chapter and see what God needs to do with it.”
What that future will appear to be and the place it should happen is way much less sure. Cousins’ contract expires subsequent March, 5 months earlier than his thirty sixth birthday, and alternative Josh Dobbs has surprised the NFL by main the Vikings to wins in each video games he has performed in whereas being the second-best QBR ( 87.4) of all quarterbacks in historical past. that wingspan.
Cousins reiterated that he needs to finish his profession in Minnesota, a sentiment he has expressed constantly since he and the Vikings engaged in discussions a couple of potential contract extension within the spring.
“Your ideas undoubtedly go there and you recognize that is coming,” Cousins stated of the upcoming expiration of his contract. However much like what we stated in April or August, March will occur in March. February will happen in February. These conversations will occur, however the time is simply not but. Now we have a lot to concentrate on this season. Boys play so nicely. And that is the place our focus ought to actually be.”
The harm was the primary of Cousins’ profession to require surgical procedure, and he stated Friday that his preliminary response was denial. He stated he could not push his foot down however felt little ache within the Achilles tendon and informed the Vikings’ medical employees he did not consider he tore the tendon.
However crew physician Dr. Chris Coetzee made an instantaneous and definitive analysis within the medical tent. He gave Cousins a second to course of the data, and Cousins — who had missed simply two begins in his NFL profession to that time — stated he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Later that night, he Googled “the 5 phases of grief.” Even now, Cousins admitted, “I am nonetheless offended and I am nonetheless upset.”
Lately, crew psychologist Brownell Mack despatched a mindset suggestion that put him on a extra optimistic path. In accordance with Cousins, the lyrics learn: “Once you face adversity like that, you look again on the street and are sometimes higher for it. Not despite it.”
Cousins added: “I simply consider there’s extra of the story forward. That is what I really consider on the core of my being.”
Coetzee carried out the surgical procedure subsequent to the Vikings’ follow facility, opting to make use of the standard quite than the SpeedBridge technique that some skilled athletes have chosen to hurry up their restoration course of. The tendon tear was in a spot the place Coetzee might sew it collectively, quite than having to make use of the SpeedBridge technique to help it, Cousins stated. He most well-liked that technique for the long run, stating that “I am in no rush” to rehab as a result of there was by no means an opportunity he might have returned to play this season.
Cousins wears a strolling boot and is ready to put weight on his leg throughout rehabilitation work. He has informed individuals within the group that he believes he can be ready to take part in no less than a few of the practices when OTAs start in Could.
Within the meantime, he is been attending quarterback conferences and coach Kevin O’Connell has given him a number of schematic tasks to maintain him concerned with the crew.
“He is aware of our offense,” O’Connell stated. “He is aware of it in addition to any of us do. Whether or not he is taking a look at third downs or first and second downs, in search of take a look at an explosive or a goalie play cross. It is type of like our regular dialogue on Monday and Tuesday and when he began his band research, I simply requested him, “I simply need you to be concerned. I simply need you to be on our crew. Be there.” He’ll journey as quickly as he will get permission. I feel so [is] an enormous bonus for everybody to have him round.”
