MINNEAPOLIS — On Monday, Netflix dropped a trailer for its new docuseries called "Quarterback," which will debut Wednesday, July 12.
Featured in the series is Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, however, one thing he's not featured in is receiver Justin Jefferson's top five quarterbacks list.
Brazilian journalist Danilo Lacalle interviewed the Vikings' All-Pro receiver earlier this month and asked him to list his current top five quarterbacks in the NFL. Many of the names came as no surprise, including former LSU teammate Joe Burrow, who currently plays for the Cincinnati Bengals. But the absence of his current quarterback drew some reaction.
Jefferson's list also included reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes, former Green Bay Packers and current New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers, Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts and Buffalo's Josh Allen. After Allen's name, Jefferson may have been referring to Cousins when he said "Kirko Bangz," the Texas rapper whose name inspired the famed "Kirko Chainz" nickname midway through the 2022-23 season, but the absence of Cousins on the star receiver's top five still turned some heads.
Cousins, who has been Jefferson's only quarterback since joining the NFL in 2020, helped the receiver earn the NFL Offensive Player of the Year distinction last season. Jefferson's career season included 128 catches for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns. His one-handed grab against the Bills in Week 10 went down as one of the best catches in the league. In fact, the catch was named the Moment of the Year during the NFL Honors ceremony.
Cousins is coming off his fourth Pro Bowl season after helping lead the Vikings to an NFC North title with a 13-4 regular season record. The Vikings fumbled their Super Bowl chances in the first round of the postseason by losing to the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Cousins is entering the final season of his contract with the Vikings, so this may be the final season the 34-year-old quarterback spends in purple and gold. While it's highly unlikely any of those top five quarterbacks on Jefferson's list will be the man throwing the ball next season, perhaps Cousins can elevate his game this season to becoming a top-five QB in his star receiver's eyes.
“Quarterback” is the first partnership between the NFL and Netflix. It followed Cousins, Mahomes and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota throughout the 2022-23 and was the first time the NFL allowed quarterbacks to be mic’d up for every game.
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