Net Worth Ranker
What Is Kirk Cousins’s Net Worth?
Kirk Cousins, the American professional football quarterback, has cultivated a substantial net worth estimated at $160 million. This financial standing is primarily a result of his lucrative NFL career, marked by strategically negotiated contracts and consistent performance on the field. His journey from a fourth-round draft pick to a highly sought-after free agent showcases not only his athletic abilities but also his business acumen in maximizing his earnings potential.
Kirk Cousins’s Contract Details and Career Earnings
Cousins’s financial success is deeply intertwined with his contract negotiations and career earnings. Entering the league as a fourth-round pick by Washington in 2012, he initially served as a backup before transitioning into the starting role. This transition marked the beginning of his significant financial ascent. After his impressive 2015 season, Washington initially used the franchise tag to retain Cousins, granting him a one-year salary of $22 million. The following season, the Redskins again applied the franchise tag, increasing his salary to $24 million. A third franchise tag would have required a 44% increase, prompting the Redskins to allow Cousins to enter free agency.
In 2018, Cousins made a pivotal move by signing with the Minnesota Vikings. His contract with the Vikings was groundbreaking, featuring a fully guaranteed $84 million over three years. Prior to this agreement, he had reportedly considered an offer from the New York Jets, which included a staggering $60 million in the first season alone, along with additional bonuses.
Continuing his tenure with the Vikings, Cousins signed a two-year, $66 million contract extension in March 2020, which included a $30 million signing bonus. This contract solidified his position as one of the NFL’s highest-paid players and placed him among the top-earning entertainers in the world.
By March 2024, prior to his latest contract, Cousins had accumulated approximately $231 million in NFL salary earnings. His strategic decisions to bet on himself in free agency proved exceptionally rewarding.
Most recently, on March 11, 2024, Cousins inked a four-year, $180 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons. This contract includes a $50 million signing bonus and guarantees $100 million. By the contract’s conclusion, Cousins’s career earnings are projected to surpass $410 million.
Early Life and Collegiate Career
Born on August 19, 1988, in Barrington, Illinois, Kirk Cousins grew up as the middle child of Maryann and Don Cousins. He attended Holland Christian High School in Michigan, excelling in football, baseball, and basketball. During his high school football career, Cousins amassed 3,204 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions, demonstrating his early potential as a quarterback.
Cousins received a football scholarship to Michigan State University, where he redshirted his freshman year in 2007. In 2008, he served as the backup quarterback to Brian Hoyer. By 2009, Cousins secured the starting quarterback position, recording 2,680 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 12 games. In 2010, he led the Spartans to an 11-2 record, tying with the Wisconsin Badgers for the Big Ten Conference title. The following year, in 2011, Cousins led the Spartans to an 11-3 record and their first-ever Big Ten Football Championship Game, where they lost to the Wisconsin Badgers. The Spartans concluded the season with a victory in the Outback Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs.
NFL Career: Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings
In the 2012 NFL draft, the Washington Redskins selected Cousins in the fourth round. During his rookie season, he played in three games, recording 466 passing yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. The Redskins finished atop the NFC East but lost in the Wild Card Round to the Seattle Seahawks.
In 2013, Cousins played in five games, recording 854 passing yards, four touchdowns, and seven interceptions, as the Redskins failed to reach the playoffs. His 2014 regular-season statistics included 1,710 passing yards, ten touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
Cousins’s breakout year occurred in 2015 when he led the Redskins to their biggest comeback win in franchise history, throwing the game-winning touchdown pass in the final seconds of a Week 7 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He earned two NFC Offensive Player of the Week awards and one NFC Offensive Player of the Month award that season, leading the league with a 69.8% completion percentage. The Redskins won the NFC East but were eliminated in the Wild Card Round by the Green Bay Packers.
Continuing his success in 2016, Cousins achieved a career-high and franchise-high 4,917 passing yards, earning his first career Pro Bowl selection. In 2017, he recorded his third consecutive season with at least 4,000 passing yards, posting 4,093 yards along with 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also recorded a career-high 179 rushing yards on 49 attempts.
In 2018, Cousins joined the Minnesota Vikings, where he had a strong first season, recording 4,298 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Despite his performance, the Vikings narrowly missed the playoffs. Although his statistics were less impressive in 2019, he earned his second career Pro Bowl selection, and the Vikings reached the Divisional Round, losing to the San Francisco 49ers.
In 2020, Cousins recorded 4,265 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, but the Vikings failed to reach the playoffs. The following season, he recorded 4,221 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, earning his third career Pro Bowl selection. Again, the Vikings did not advance to the playoffs.
The 2022 season was notable for the Vikings, particularly a Week 15 game against the Indianapolis Colts, where Cousins led the team in completing the largest comeback in NFL history, securing a 39-36 overtime victory. The Vikings finished atop the NFC North. Cousins concluded the regular season with 4,547 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, earning his fourth career Pro Bowl selection. However, the Vikings were defeated by the New York Giants in the Wild Card Round.
Cousins played his final season with the Vikings in 2023, which was cut short due to an Achilles injury in a Week 8 game against the Packers.
2024 Atlanta Falcons Contract and Performance
In March 2024, Cousins signed a four-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons worth $180 million. By December 2024, rumors emerged about the team potentially cutting him, despite his having played 14 games and thrown 17 touchdowns. If this were to occur, the Falcons would still be obligated to pay him $90 million. The Falcons benched Cousins in December of 2024.
Personal Life
Kirk Cousins married Julie Hampton in the summer of 2014. They have two sons, Cooper and Turner. Cousins is a practicing evangelical Christian.
While specific details about Cousins’s real estate assets, private jet, and luxury car collection are not publicly available, it is reasonable to assume that given his substantial earnings, he has made significant investments in these areas. His career net worth is largely comprised of his contract earnings, strategic investments, and endorsements.
