Career Timeline of Kirk Cousins: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Kirk Cousins made an impact.

Kirk Cousins is a professional American football quarterback currently playing for the Atlanta Falcons. Drafted by the Washington Redskins in 2012 after playing college football at Michigan State, Cousins has established himself as a notable NFL quarterback. He holds a high completion percentage ranking sixth all-time among quarterbacks with over 1,500 pass attempts. Additionally, he has a strong career passer rating, placing him 11th in NFL history.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1945: Sammy Baugh completed 70.3% of his passes

In 1945, Sammy Baugh completed 70.3% of his passes, first in Redskins history.

1950: First Redskins QB Since 1950 with Perfect Passer Rating

In a game against the New Orleans Saints, Kirk Cousins became the first Redskins quarterback since 1950 to post a perfect passer rating of 158.3 with at least 20 pass attempts, throwing for a career-high four touchdowns. He was also named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

1967: Sonny Jurgensen had 31 passing touchdowns

In 1967, Sonny Jurgensen had 31 passing touchdowns, first in Redskins history.

1970: Redskins Quarterback with Four Passing Touchdowns

In 1970, Sonny Jurgensen was the first Redskins quarterback with at least four passing touchdowns.

1986: Jay Schroeder's passing record

In 1986, Jay Schroeder set the passing yardage record for the Redskins.

1994: Redskins Drafted Shuler and Frerotte

In 1994, the Washington Redskins drafted Heath Shuler and Gus Frerotte, a strategy echoed by the team in 2012 when they drafted both Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins.

2007: Joined Michigan State

In 2007, Kirk Cousins accepted a scholarship to play football at Michigan State after Mark Dantonio became the head coach.

2007: Tied Completions Record

In 2007, Kirk Cousins tied Jason Campbell's franchise record for most completions in a game.

2008: Backup Quarterback

In 2008, Kirk Cousins was the backup quarterback to Brian Hoyer at Michigan State, playing in five games.

2009: Starting Quarterback at Michigan State

In 2009, Kirk Cousins won the starting quarterback job at Michigan State, leading the team to a 6-7 season.

2010: Big Ten Conference Champion

In 2010, Kirk Cousins led Michigan State to an 11-2 record and a share of the Big Ten Conference Championship.

2011: All-Big Ten Selection

In 2011, Kirk Cousins led the Big Ten Conference in multiple passing categories and was named second-team All-Big Ten.

2011: Redskins Drafted Robert Griffin III

In 2011, the Washington Redskins drafted Robert Griffin III, who was expected to be the franchise quarterback. Subsequently, the Redskins drafted Kirk Cousins in 2012 as an insurance policy.

January 2, 2012: Outback Bowl Victory

On January 2, 2012, Kirk Cousins played his final game as a Michigan State Spartan, defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the Outback Bowl.

May 31, 2012: Signed Contract with Redskins

On May 31, 2012, Kirk Cousins signed a four-year contract with the Washington Redskins.

December 15, 2012: First NFL Start

On December 15, 2012, Kirk Cousins made his first NFL start for the Washington Redskins against the Cleveland Browns, leading the team to a 38-21 victory. He was later voted Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week.

2012: Redskins win the NFC East Division Title

Following a victory over the Eagles, the Redskins, led by Kirk Cousins, won the NFC East division title for the first time since 2012.

2012: Game-Winning Drive Against the Eagles

In 2012, Kirk Cousins led a 90-yard game-winning drive against the Eagles, throwing a touchdown pass to Pierre Garçon with under a minute left in the fourth quarter to win the game 23–20.

2012: Drafted by the Redskins

In 2012, Kirk Cousins was drafted by the Washington Redskins as the 102nd overall pick in the fourth round of the NFL draft.

December 11, 2013: Named Starting Quarterback

On December 11, 2013, Kirk Cousins was named the starting quarterback for the rest of the year for the Washington Redskins after Robert Griffin III was deactivated.

February 2, 2014: Open to a Trade

On February 2, 2014, Kirk Cousins stated that he was open to a trade from the Washington Redskins.

August 31, 2015: Named Starter for the Season

On August 31, 2015, Kirk Cousins was named the starting quarterback for the season over Robert Griffin III.

2015: Became the Redskins' Starting Quarterback

In 2015, Kirk Cousins replaced an injured Robert Griffin III as the starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins, leading the team to a division title.

2015: Finished the Season with Record Completion Percentage

Kirk Cousins finished the 2015 season with the highest completion percentage (74.7) in home games in NFL history and led the league in completion percentage overall.

January 3, 2016: Set Redskins Single-Season Passing Yardage Record

On January 3, 2016, Kirk Cousins set the Redskins single-season passing yardage record with 4,166 yards, surpassing Jay Schroeder's previous record.

January 10, 2016: Wild Card Round Against the Packers

On January 10, 2016, Kirk Cousins played against the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round, completing 29-of-46 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns. However, the Redskins lost 35–18, and Cousins was named the PFWA Most Improved Player.

March 1, 2016: Franchise Tagged by the Redskins

On March 1, 2016, Kirk Cousins was franchise tagged by the Washington Redskins, preventing him from becoming an unrestricted free agent.

2016: Career-High Passing Yards

In 2016, Kirk Cousins led the Washington Redskins to a winning record and finished the season with a career-high 4,917 passing yards, ranking third in the NFL.

February 28, 2017: Exclusive Franchise Tag

On February 28, 2017, Kirk Cousins agreed to the exclusive franchise tag with the Washington Redskins, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to be franchise-tagged in consecutive years.

2017: Season Performance

In 2017, Kirk Cousins had a strong performance and was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 3 during a victory over the Oakland Raiders on NBC Sunday Night Football, but the Redskins missed the playoffs.

2017: Named to the Pro Bowl

In 2017, Kirk Cousins was named to his first Pro Bowl, replacing Matt Ryan, who could not participate due to the Falcons' Super Bowl LI appearance. Cousins forced a fumble on Aqib Talib during the game.

2017: Third Season Passing for at Least 4,000 Yards

The 2017 season marked Kirk Cousins' third consecutive season of passing for at least 4,000 yards. He also had 4 rushing touchdowns.

March 15, 2018: Signed with the Vikings

On March 15, 2018, Kirk Cousins signed a fully guaranteed three-year contract worth $84 million with the Minnesota Vikings.

2018: First Season with the Vikings

In 2018, Kirk Cousins finished his first season with the Minnesota Vikings with 4,298 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. However, the team missed the playoffs.

2018: Signed with the Minnesota Vikings

In 2018, Kirk Cousins signed a fully guaranteed three-year, US$84 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent.

2018: Ranked 94th

In 2018, Kirk Cousins was ranked 94th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players.

2019: Ranked 78th

In 2019, Kirk Cousins was ranked 78th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players.

March 18, 2020: Cousins signs contract extension with Vikings

On March 18, 2020, Kirk Cousins signed a two-year, $66 million contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings, securing his position with the team.

March 13, 2022: Cousins signs contract extension

On March 13, 2022, Kirk Cousins signed a one-year, $35 million fully guaranteed contract extension through the 2023 season, ensuring his continued presence with the team.

July 12, 2023: Quarterback documentary debuts on Netflix

On July 12, 2023, the Netflix and NFL Films documentary series, "Quarterback", which followed Kirk Cousins during the 2022 NFL season, was released on Netflix.

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March 13, 2024: Cousins signs with the Atlanta Falcons

On March 13, 2024, Kirk Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons, marking a new chapter in his career.

April 25, 2024: Falcons draft Michael Penix Jr.

On April 25, 2024, the Atlanta Falcons drafted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with their first-round pick. This decision, made without prior notification to Cousins, raised eyebrows and added a layer of complexity to Cousins's future with the team.