Most NFL quarterbacks work on their craft nearly constantly, taking few – if any – days off, especially in the middle of the NFL season. But that is certainly not the case for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
During the Quarterback documentary series on Netflix, which follows NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Marcus Mariota throughout the 2022 season, Cousins had a pretty shocking admission about his practice habits, revealing that he takes one day a week completely off, not even entering the team facility.
“If we’re on a Sunday-to-Sunday schedule, unlike most quarterbacks I choose to take Tuesday entirely off,” Cousins said on the show according to Pro Football Talk. “About eight years ago, I made the decision that I’m going to truly rest for 24 hours a week during the season. I think a first it threw the coaches off a little bit that, ‘Wait a minute, our starting quarterback’s not gonna be in the building all day on Tuesday? We’re not even gonna see him?’ But it’s just something that I felt was important. On Tuesday, I’ll do anything that isn’t football.”
On one hand, it’s pretty surprising given how dedicated most quarterbacks are to improving their craft. On the other, it’s certainly a model of a healthy work-life balance and prove that can exist in the NFL – at least on some level.
