Kirk Cousins Sticks To His Opinion On Vaccines, Sending The Media Into A Tiff

The media has been having a ball ever since the Vikings' carousel of quarterbacks caught COVID. The easiest target of the group has not been Patient Zero of the bunch — rookie Kellen Mond — but the one guy everyone speculates is an "anti-vaxxer," starting quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Though marketed as a "red state" guy, possibly due to his outspoken Christian faith, Cousins has put in the work to navigate through the restrictions and complications of keeping his free will in a new world of mandatory vaccines, masks, and social distancing.

While inoculation remains an NFL team's best shot at completing the season free of complications from the virus, the starting QB has expressed faith in the protocols set by the league to ensure both vaccinated and unvaccinated players are kept safe.

Cousins gave his opinion on the recent outbreak of COVID in the QB room, doubling down on what it means to make an independent health choice, rather than spouting empty platitudes about a "science" that touts vaccination but that overlooks factors like natural immunity.

“I think the vaccination decision is a private, very private health matter for me," said Cousins. "I’m going to keep it as such. I do believe as a leader of the team, it’s very important to follow the protocols and avoid this close contact, because that is what it’s going to come down to — did you have a close contact?"

While reports and stories surrounding Cousins have vaguely assigned all blame of the spread to his decision not to take the vaccine, the Vikings QB has consistently expressed concern about keeping the rest of his team healthy — without sacrificing his personal choices.

"So, I’m going to be vigilant about avoiding a close contact. I’ve even thought about, ‘Should I just set up, literally, Plexiglas around where I sit, so this could never happen again?’ I’ve thought about it, because I’m going to do whatever it takes. We’re going to avoid this close contact thing, and look forward to make sure I’m playing every game this year.”

The Yahoo Sports report speculates that "liberal doses of FOX News and NewsMax are probably involved" in Kirk Cousins' decision. However, like Fauci's rhetoric on COVID guidelines, that could also just be hearsay.

Follow along on Twitter: @AlejandroAveela