The Minnesota Vikings could be heading toward a reunion with Kirk Cousins. On Feb. 7, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini got the entire rumor mill started with her reporting on the matter.
“I’m watching to see if the Falcons find any parties interested in [Cousins],” Russini wrote in her article. “Speaking of those Vikings, one league source speculated that Cousins could be an option there, given his history with Kevin O’Connell and Minnesota’s desire to bring in competition for young J.J. McCarthy.”
Afterward, more updates on Cousins potentially returning to the Vikings for a second stint emerged. The Athletic’s Alec Lewis shared what he knows on the matter and where there’s any interest from Minnesota, who need to improve its QB position this offseason.
“It’s my understanding that Kirk Cousins will be open to returning to the Vikings, if genuine interest is there, and if the situation feels right (opportunity wise, more than anything),“ Lewis wrote on Feb. 7 on X. “Also wouldn’t be surprised to see him have other opportunities (teams & TV).”
Moreover, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter also reported, citing league sources, that the Atlanta Falcons are expected to release Cousins before the start of the new league year in March, allowing him to choose where or if he wants to play in 2026.
J.J. McCarthy Gets Positive Outlook From Vikings Teammate
McCarthy had a passer rating of 72.6 with 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 10 games in 2025, per StatMuse. As a result, this production is causing the Vikings to be linked to QBs, or just in the speculation mill.
Nonetheless, Aaron Jones Sr. is giving a promising outlook on McCarthy, as the Michigan Wolverines product looks to have an offseason that prepares him better for his third NFL season.
“When you’re young, you’ve got to learn how to win,“ Jones said on the NFL Network. “That’s a process. We went through that process and got over that period. I would say the best part is we stuck together. We believed in each other and we got it going just a little too late. We still could have — had we won that Chicago game — we would have been in the playoffs, and it would have looked a lot different.
“But we all came together, and that was the most important part. We set the foundation leading into next year. We have all the pieces we need, and J.J. is going to continue to develop, and we’re just going to continue to get better. But we were one game short, and there’s a lot of ball out there left for us to play.”
Tony Dungy Gives Positive Message to J.J. McCarthy
Moreover, former Vikings defensive coordinator and NBC Sports NFL analyst Tony Dungy also has faith that McCarthy could turn things around.
“[Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell] knows quarterbacks, and he’ll get J.J. going,“ Dungy told Vikings Entertainment Network’s Tatum Everett in a video posted on Feb. 5. “I don’t know, for the good quarterbacks that I’ve been around, it hasn’t been competition that’s driven them. Peyton Manning didn’t need competition in the room to be good. His competition was everybody else. He wanted to be the best in the world.
“I’m sure J.J. has that too. Sometimes that mentorship can be there, though, that veteran quarterback that’s good that can help out and help bring J.J. along, as well as the coaching staff. So, they’ll get the right people and the right pieces in place.”
Nonetheless, if the Vikings bring back Cousins, McCarthy will need to hit the ground running to ensure he’s the starting quarterback come Week 1 of the 2026 season.
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