Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has provided plenty of memorable quotes in recent NFL seasons. On the verge of playing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Cousins made it emphatically clear he isn’t concerned at all about the coronavirus, masks or even death.
During an appearance on Spotify’s “10 Questions with Kyle Brandt” podcast, Cousins was asked about the NFL’s strict COVID-19 protocols, mask requirements and the potential risks of COVID-19.
While the NFL is taking the coronavirus pandemic very seriously and the approach has paid off, as demonstrated in their latest COVID-19 data, Cousins isn’t remotely as concerned.
When Brandt asked him to rte on a scale of 1-to-10, with one being a belief masks don’t work and people are “a bunch of lemmings” and 10 representing people never leaving their house, the 32-year-old quarterback made it emphatically clear where he stands.
“I’m not gonna call anybody stupid, for the trouble it would get me in. But I’m about a .000001,” Cousins said, via 10 Questions with Kyle Brandt.
While the NFL’s latest COVID-19 data is great news for the 2020 season, the situation is more dire for the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 183,000 people have died from the coronavirus. Meanwhile, there have now been more than 6 million total cases of the coronavirus in the US this year.
Despite the numbers, Cousins isn’t the least bit concerned about the virus or what happens if he contracted COVID-19, even if it resulted in the worst-case scenario. As he told Brandt, “If I die, I die.”
Of course, the odds of Cousins dying from the coronavirus are extremely slim. He’s only 32 and is an athlete in the peak of his career playing at the highest level, factors that make him far less likely to experience severe symptoms of the coronavirus.
However, being a young athlete doesn’t completely protect someone. LSU Tigers linebacker Travez Moore, Indiana Hoosiers offensive lineman and Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez are among several professional and collegiate athletes who experienced significant health complications caused by the coronavirus.
The NFL’s COVID-19 protocols have proven to be effective and Cousins is going along with them, with the goal of doing what he can to ensure there is a 2020 season.