<
        >

          Patrick Peterson takes over for iced out Kirk Cousins after Vikings beat Bills

          • Tory Barron, ESPN EditorNov 14, 2022, 05:43 PM ET
            Close
              Tory Barron is a Bristol-based writer and editor for ESPN.com. After retiring from playing lacrosse at UConn, the DC native decided to try her hand at writing about people playing sports.
            Follow on X

          The thing about the Minnesota Vikings is that they're going to celebrate a road win.

          If this time last season you had told us that we would be waiting with bated breath to see how many chains Kirk Cousins would don on the plane ride home after defeating Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills 33-30 in OT, well, we would have had some questions.

          But here we are. The Vikings have advanced to 8-1 and iced out Cousins is a bona fide sensation ... and the proud owner of custom Swarovski crystal-encrusted cleats.

          On Sunday, after Cousins & Co. took down the Bills in one of the most enthralling games of the season, the Minnesota quarterback was asked about his plans to top his shirtless Week 9 performance.

          "I think we reached the mountaintop last week," he said. "I don't know that there is anywhere to go from here. Someone else may have to take the mantle."

          And take the mantle they did. Veteran CB Patrick Peterson, who snagged the game-clinching interception off of Allen in overtime, relieved Kirko Chainz of his duties.

          But how did we get here?

          It all began in Week 4 when Cousins put on offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw's chain after the Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints in London. What happened next was beyond anything the former Washington Commanders QB -- and originator of the much-ballyhooed catchphrase "You like that?!" -- could have fathomed.

          "Well, the rule was no social media on planes," Cousins said. "I guess it was in our best interest that it got out, but in terms of what I was expecting when you're not supposed to post what's on the plane, I wasn't expecting anything, I guess. But obviously, once it got out and the train gets on the tracks, it's hard to stop it at that point, as you can see by me not wearing a shirt last week."

          The shirtless iteration of icy Cousins came on the heels of his first visit back to Washington as a Viking in Week 9.

          Somewhere out there, Commanders fans were punching air.

          While fans have embraced the energy he's exuded in recent weeks, what does Cousins' wife think about his newfound abundance of, er -- swag?

          "I mean, my wife knows me, so she probably laughs first of anybody," Cousins said. "I mean, I took photos with my family after the Miami game with my white T-shirt tucked in and she said, 'Why is your T-shirt tucked in? I should have been there to tell you not to do that.' ... So anyways, she laughs along with everybody else."

          It's called an evolution. Look it up.

          ESPN's Minnesota Vikings reporter Kevin Seifert contributed to this story.