Microphones captured Kirk Cousins’ initial exchange with doctors after he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear, providing vivid insight into the excruciating pain he endured during the ordeal.
The injury occurred during the fourth quarter of the Vikings’ October victory over Green Bay, abruptly halting Cousins’ 2023 campaign. Initially believing it was just a sprain after being stepped on, Cousins hobbled off the field.
Expressing his initial thoughts, Cousins revealed, “When I first got hurt, I didn’t think I did anything too bad because I get stepped on all the time – it just felt like my heel got stepped on.” However, his realization dawned as he struggled to make it to the sideline, resorting to hopping.
“I assumed at first: ‘Oh it’s a sprained ankle, this is going to be a difficult next month as I rehab but I’ll be able to play, I’m a pocket passer,'” Cousins recounted. “I still didn’t think I’d torn anything, I still didn’t think it would be season-ending. I just knew it was probably game-ending.”
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Yet, the severity of the injury became evident in Cousins’ immediate conversation with team doctors. Moments after attempting to maneuver from the pocket, he experienced a sharp pain, recounting, “I went to go, my heel got locked to the ground and someone stepped on me… So it just stretched it like crazy. But I didn’t feel anything go. I went to press down and I got nothing.”
Reflecting on the experience, Cousins acknowledged, “I was in a bit of denial about the injury… what I’m feeling and it’s all the traditional signs that I’d torn my Achilles.” The candid exchange offers a glimpse into the challenges and emotions faced by professional athletes when confronted with season-ending injuries.
