Kirk Cousins kept a haircut appointment at a Southern Nevada Great Clips on Tuesday, shortly after the Las Vegas Raiders traded him to the Minnesota Vikings. Wearing a barber cape, the 38-year-old quarterback expressed gratitude for his brief time in Las Vegas and described mixed emotions about the move.
"To the fans in Vegas, I just feel so grateful for how they welcomed you with open arms for the several months I was here," Cousins said. "That includes teammates, the organization. I really couldn't speak more highly of my time here in Vegas." He added that saying goodbye was difficult because of the many people who mean a great deal to him in both cities.
Cousins said head coach Klint Kubiak and general manager John Spytek informed him of the trade possibility, and things moved quickly afterward. His agent, Mike McCartney, told NFL reporter Tom Pelissero that Cousins appreciated Spytek giving him the choice to stay or go. Cousins chose to return to Minnesota, where he played six seasons, clearing the way for the Raiders to start rookie Fernando Mendoza.
"In the Cousins family, we try to say we like to do hard things and we try not to shy away from hard things," Cousins said. "And this is a difficult thing. It's a big change for our family. We feel it's for the best, and so we're willing to take it on." He said he is thrilled to return to Minnesota and hopes to write the ending to a story that began when he first arrived there eight or nine years ago.
Cousins' family remained in Las Vegas briefly after the haircut. His wife, Julie, posted an Instagram video of their son playing in a Little League playoff game, writing, "1 hour until we leave for Minnesota. Turner wanted one last at bat in his little league playoff game. We love you, Las Vegas!" The Raiders, meanwhile, began preparations for their Week 10 matchup against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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