4 October 2023
Kirk Cousins opted for the best disguise he could think of on such short notice.
A baseball cap and pair of sunglasses.
That kept the 35-year-old quarterback incognito for at least a couple of innings on Tuesday night at Target Field as he took in the Twins’ Game 1 playoff game in the Wild Card Series with his wife Julie and their sons Cooper and Turner. It was an off day for the Vikings, so the family bought tickets online at the last minute, then made their way over to downtown Minneapolis.
“At first I was like, ‘Do I want to drive in the city and put on a disguise?’ ” Cousins said. “Then I thought, ‘Yeah. let’s do it. This is the playoffs, and I know I’ll look back and be so glad we did.’ ”
After watching the Twins snap their 18-game playoff losing streak with a 3-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, Cousins was indeed happy with the decision to go. They arrived at the ballpark a few minutes late and were walking around the concourse when Twins superstar Royce Lewis launched a two-run homer into the bleachers in left field.
The noise took Cousins aback as the home crowd erupted with excitement. He looked over at Julie wondering if this is what U.S. Bank Stadium sounded like when, say, the Vikings QB hits superstar receiver Justin Jefferson for a long touchdown.
“She said, ‘Yeah, pretty much,’ ” Cousins said. “I said, ‘This is great energy.’ ”
As somebody used to being on the field in those big moments, Cousins noted that it was fun being on the other side of it for a change. He was able to disconnect from the wins and losses, even if only for a couple of hours, and enjoy being a fan once again.
“You kind of see it from someone else’s perspective and kind of realize how these fans are just dying to get behind us,” Cousins said. “You want to give them something to get excited about.”
As the Twins’ playoff game progressed, more and more fans started to realize they were seated next to Cousins in the lower bowl. Not that he noticed too much. He was too busy making a core memory with his family in between mouthfuls of peanuts and cracker jacks.
“I was trying to teach my older son about the game,” Cousins said. “I’m like, ‘I’m doing this. I’m at a pro baseball game sitting next to my 6-year-old son. This is what my dad did with me.’ ”
That night at the ballpark is something Cousins will remember for the rest of his life. As he started his drive home, though, he immediately shifted his focus, knowing the Vikings need to be at their best when they host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.
That remains the focus inside TCO Performance Center this week. That said, the Vikings will be cheering on the Twins from afar.
“It’s fun for us as players to be able to follow them in the fall,” Cousins said. “Hopefully their season can go as long as possible.”
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