Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Harrison Phillips spoke about the challenges of replacing quarterback Kirk Cousins following his free-agent departure, during an appearance on NFL Total Access.
“Kirk Cousins as a person, as a leader, as a teammate, that’s a big void in your locker room,” Phillips expressed to Michael Yam. He praised Cousins for his humility, servant leadership, and motivational skills, describing him as “one of the most humble guys that I’ve ever been around.”
Phillips acknowledged that filling Cousins’ shoes as a team leader won’t be straightforward and emphasized the need for a collective effort. “There’s already guys that I’ve seen these last few seasons being on this roster—some are captains, some are not captains yet but will be in their careers,” he explained. “We’re going to pass that torch off and kind of division of labor. We’re going to all carry that load together, and maybe we can be a better football team for it.”
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To rebuild their quarterback room, the Vikings signed Sam Darnold to a one-year deal and selected J.J. McCarthy as the No. 10 pick in the draft. Phillips expressed his “full confidence” in Darnold and noted that both he and Nick Mullens would do their utmost to support McCarthy’s development.
Reflecting on his time with the Buffalo Bills, Phillips recalled witnessing Josh Allen’s evolution into a star quarterback and leader, expressing hope for a similar growth trajectory for McCarthy in Minnesota.
The Vikings face additional leadership transitions with the departures of fellow captains Danielle Hunter and Jordan Hicks. Phillips, coming off a career-best 92 tackles last season, is poised to play a pivotal role in stabilizing Minnesota’s defense amid these changes.
