808vikingsfan wrote:Pondering Her Percy wrote:For anyone that says Cousins "wasnt a good teammate" I say bull####. He seems like a very humble guy, a leader, appreciative to his teammates, etc. I'm so excited he's our QB
There are a few reports about Kirk not being liked in the locker room. Not a lot but they are out there. Whether they're true or made up, I don't know.
Now I was impressed by Kirks presser but after watching a couple of other interviews, he seems to say almost the exact same thing so to me, some answers seem very rehearsed. It's probably only me but I get a sense of fakeness when listening to him talk at times. Almost like listening to a really good salesman.
I also read that his teammates (especially the OL) love him. So some people love him, a few may not like him. But really, does it matter? There have been reports of teammates not liking Aaron Rodgers too. You don't have to be liked to lead. Respected, but not liked. As long as Kirk can lead this team to wins, I could care less if he turns out to be an obnoxious d**k that is full of himself. Maybe that's what this team is missing, a vocal leader with an edge. Brady, Rothlisberger, Wilson, Rodgers are all pretty arrogant at times. I can see Cousins fitting in fine.
Here's what Vernon Davis had to say about Cousins and his leadership a couple of years ago:
“He’s a young guy in the league, and I think sometimes we forget about that, that he’s only been a starter for two years,” Davis said. “And with that being said, he’s doing all the right things. He’s doing all the right things. Guys in the locker room love him. They think he’s spectacular. I do, as well, because of what he does. He minimizes himself in the locker room; in practice and in games he stands out like a sore thumb.
“And that’s what great quarterbacks do. That’s what they do. I watch those things, and he’s putting his teammates first. He’s putting his teammates first. So that’s first and foremost. He’s growing, he’s evolving, so I’m excited about his career and excited about his future. I think he’s going to be a wonderful quarterback in this league.”
Another teammate, Duke Ihenacho:
Kirk gotta dip out on Washington. He deserve more respect.
Cousins' backup for part of his time in Washington, Nate Sudfeld:
"I think the world of Kirk," Sudfeld told reporters Wednesday during a Super Bowl media session. "I spent a lot of time with him and developed a really good friendship together. The guy is a pro's pro, as classy as they get. He always does and says all the right things. His talent speaks for itself. He's got incredible arm talent, the way he can speed up his mechanics and get the ball out and make quick decisions.
"His process of how he gets ready for every game and takes care of his body has been really impressive, too. He has all of his days mapped out by the hour, what he's doing. He sticks to his process. I definitely learned a lot from him. He would kind of put me under his wing a pretty good amount. I think he's going to continue to have a tremendous career."
Five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams:
"It's only his third year of having the team, and he pretty much knows everything from the linemen's responsibility to the backs', to the wideouts' - the whole thing. He can actually run a practice like a coach right now. He's everything you want in a quarterback."
I can go on and on. Four people -- two journalists, two former players -- none of whom have played with Cousins or covered him on a regular basis, have put forth this notion that Kirk Cousins isn't well liked by his teammates.
In a nutshell, it comes down to what Chris Lingebach of CBS Sports had to say:
So, in the span of six days, four people — Faulk, Smith, Patrick and Schultz — in the national media have floated a narrative, the same narrative about Cousins, one which never previously existed prior to this week. Weird.
As for whether he's a top quarterback, here's what Charlie Weis had to say before the Redskins traded for Alex Smith:
I think he (Cousins) is a top-five quarterback in the NFL. And I think that if the Redskins don’t go out and sign Kirk Cousins, it is going to set them back years.
Chris Simms of NBC Sports:
He is a franchise quarterback,” Simms later said. “You can win a Super Bowl with Kirk Cousins, hands down, certainly.
NFL.com analyst Ross Tucker:
“I like when people bash Kirk Cousins, because then I know that they don’t have any clue what they’re talking about,” Tucker said on his podcast. “I mean, that’s how bad it is. That’s how good the guy is. He’s the best quarterback the franchise has had in at least 25 years, and he’s a top 10 quarterback in the NFL.”
Former Redskins offensive coordinator, now NFL Coach of the Year, Sean McVay:
"He's not a guy you want to bet against," McVay said. "He's a guy that you believe is going to figure it out eventually, and once he got his chance, he clearly showed why he's very capable, and he's only going to continue to get better. That's why he's really easy to believe in. That's pretty consistent with any coach that's ever worked with him. You talk to any of these guys that are football guys, the thing that you'll hear consistently is that nobody is surprised that Kirk has played this well."
And we know what Mike Shanahan has to say about Cousins.
Is Cousins perfect? No. Nobody is. But is there still a ton of potential with this guy? In my opinion, we haven't seen anywhere near the best of Kirk Cousins yet.