Kirk Cousins was born on August 19, 1988, in Barrington, Illinois. His father, Don Cousins, is a pastor. During his high school years at Holland Christian High School in Michigan, Kirk actively participated in football, basketball, and baseball. He later attended Michigan State University, where he majored in kinesiology.
In 2007, Cousins was recruited by Michigan State University's head coach Mark Dantonio. He joined the Spartans as a backup quarterback behind Brian Hoyer. By 2009, Cousins had emerged as the team’s starting quarterback and delivered a strong performance with 19 touchdown passes and over 2,500 passing yards that season. He played a pivotal role in leading Michigan State to a 4-0 record against in-state rival Michigan during his tenure.
Cousins was selected by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft as the 102nd overall pick. He signed a four-year contract with the team on May 31, 2012. Initially, he served as a backup to rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III (RG3).
His preseason performance against the Chicago Bears was promising—highlighted by three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, though the Redskins ultimately lost the game 33-31. In the preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cousins completed 15 of 27 passes for 222 yards, helping seal a victory. His efforts fueled speculation about his potential to eventually replace Rex Grossman as a starter.
Later that same season, Cousins came off the bench in a game against the Baltimore Ravens after Griffin suffered an injury. He threw a game-tying touchdown and converted a two-point play to send the game into overtime, helping secure a dramatic Redskins victory. For his performance, he was named the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week.
In the 2013 season, Cousins saw limited action and recorded four touchdowns and 854 passing yards. His role increased in 2014 when Griffin was injured in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cousins stepped in and led the team to a decisive win, throwing for 250 yards and two touchdowns. However, his performance was inconsistent; a subsequent game against the New York Giants saw him throw one touchdown in a lopsided defeat.
On October 25, 2015, Cousins delivered one of the most memorable performances of his early career. Trailing 24-0 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he led a dramatic comeback to secure a 31-30 win. Cousins threw a career-high four touchdown passes and tied the franchise record for most completions in a game (33), a mark previously set by Jason Campbell in 2007. He also achieved a perfect passer rating of 158.3 in that game, becoming the first Redskins quarterback to do so since 1950.
| Birth Date: | 19 Aug, 1988 |
| Age: | 31 yrs |
| Occupations: | American football player |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Barrington |
| Education: | Holland Christian High School Michigan State University |
| Gender: | Male |
| Description: | American football quarterback |
| Twitter Id: | KirkCousins8 |
| Net Worth 2021: | 70 million |
