Kirk Cousins Responds to Vikings' Justin Jefferson Leaving Him off Top-5 QB Rankings

Kirk Cousins didn't take offense at Justin Jefferson leaving him off the list of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL.

During an appearance on KFAN's Power Trip Morning Show (starts at 33:10 mark), Cousins seemed almost amused when he was asked about it.

"I didn't even see it. This is the first time hearing about it," he answered. "As a competitor, yeah, you always want that. People have to be honest and share what they think and I'm not going to tell somebody what they need to think and hopefully in 2024 I'll be on his list. We'll see what we can do this year."

Speaking to Brazilian journalist Danilo Lacalle, Jefferson cited Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen as his top five quarterbacks.

Few people would argue that group as being among the best in the NFL. Mahomes' dominance over the past five years, including two Super Bowl titles and MVP awards, should have him at the top.

Rodgers at No. 2 could be seen as questionable coming off a down year, but he's proven in the past how quickly he can get back on track if he's fully engaged.

Burrow has the connection with Jefferson from their two years together at LSU, including winning the 2019 College Football Playoff Championship Game. The 26-year-old has led the Cincinnati Bengals to back-to-back appearances in the AFC Championship Game.

Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen are two of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL because of what they add to the offense with their legs.

Cousins can be an easy target for criticism because he can play too conservatively at times, like throwing a checkdown on fourth down in the final two minutes of a playoff game the Vikings were losing.

But in the grand scheme of things, Cousins has had a terrific career. The 34-year-old has thrown for at least 4,000 yards in seven of the past eight seasons and at least 30 touchdowns in three of the past five seasons.

Regardless of where Cousins might rank on Jefferson's personal quarterback list, the two have forged one of the best connections in the NFL over the past three seasons. He led the league with 128 receptions and 1,809 yards in 2022 to win Offensive Player of the Year.