EAGAN, Minn. — The break between NFL minicamps and the start of training camps won't be completely without football thanks to the new Netflix series, Quarterback.
The documentary's official trailer dropped Wednesday. The series, which goes in-depth and behind-the-scenes with Vikings QB Kirk Cousins, is scheduled for a July 12 release.
Cousins is one of three NFL quarterbacks who were followed during the 2022 NFL season by NFL Films crews, along with Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Marcus Mariota, who is now with Philadelphia but played for Atlanta last season.
After he was asked to participate, Cousins said he evaluated many factors before deciding to say yes.
"I was a little nervous at first," Cousins said. "I mean, cameras and mics following you the whole season. 'What does that look like?' You're always very aware of never being an individual. You want to be about team. Be one of the guys.
" 'Would this at all make me an individual, and if so, I can't do that, ' " he added. "I think both NFL Films and our organization did a good job of just making sure they were out of the way. It was subtle. It was never intrusive."
Cousins said he appreciated the support from Vikings Ownership, Head Coach Kevin O'Connell and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as the NFL Films crew mic'd him up for every game as well as at different parts of the work week.
"I think it was a big help that the Vikings allowed them to be around. I think it was not the easiest thing to do, to let them into a couple different settings here and there, so the fact that they let them in says a lot about the organization's willingness to help," Cousins said. "But it'll be good to see how people respond to it and how they feel about it.
"The hope was that people would get maybe a little bit more of an inside look at what it's like – that was the hope," Cousins continued. "But again, you can only give them so much access, and there were times, you know, 'I'd love to have you in this or that meeting and it would have painted a better picture of what it's like, but we're not gonna let ya in.' That's part of it. But I think they did a good job of editing it, and we'll see in July.
View photos of Vikings players during minicamp at the TCO Performance Center.
Additional footage was recorded in Cousins' home and includes his two sons. He said he appreciates the opportunity to further explain his career to them through the documentary down the road.
"As I watched a couple edits, I realized there's going to be few things better to show my two boys in about 10 to 15 years to say, 'This is what Dad did. You were too young to remember it, but this was life, and this is what it looked like.' It's going to be pretty powerful," Cousins said. "Even my grandkids, to be able to show them that behind the scenes and stuff, I think there will be some meaning to that, so I think there was some value in that sense, too."
During his session, Cousins was asked about potential contract talks. Cousins, who is in the final year of his current contract, said "we'll probably talk about the contract next March, and until then, just focus on this season and the job to do right now.
Part of the job has included teambuilding, which he's helped through multiple approaches during the offseason program. One way was organizing a "Jersey Day" on Tuesday, encouraging teammates and coaches to wear a sports jersey. Vikings staff members also were invited to participate. He estimated there was about a 60- to 70-percent participation rate.
"We have to get that up to 90 next year. I don't see why we can't get 90 percent," Cousins said. "They'll have 364 days to get ready for next year's jersey day, so they've got some time. It was a good first year in the inaugural year. We have to build on it."
He did concur there was a "great assortment" of jerseys, from real athletes to fictional characters from movies and television.
"There were a lot of repeats. A lot of Bobby Bouchers [from The Waterboy]. There were more than a few of those," Cousins said. "I wore an [Allen] Iverson jersey, and I didn't realize there would be like six other Iversons. We had everything from Georgetown Iverson to Philly Iverson to the Nuggets Iverson, which I had forgotten he even played for the Nuggets.
"I told the guys, 'When I was growing up, 50 Cent music videos, it was all jerseys, and then they just disappeared. I don't know where they went,' " he added. " 'I'm trying to bring them back, so Tuesday at minicamp, we're going to bring them back.' Everything comes back around. Maybe someday jerseys will be back in, but until then we are going to rock them one day a year."
