REPORT: Mike Zimmer ‘Snapped’ At Kirk Cousins Following Incident During A Game In 2021

Kirk Cousins and former head coach Mike Zimmer were never too fond of each other.

It was clear during the 2021 season when Cousins and Zimmer had an awkward interaction on the sideline. Following a last-second victory, Cousins could be seen punching and grabbing Zimmer on the sidelines. Zimmer returned the favor as he pushed Cousins and had to be held back by another staff member.

Paul Allen, the radio voice of the Minnesota Vikings, explained that Zimmer wasn’t happy with the exchange.

From Bring Me The Sports:

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“Back to like the middle of the season. Home game and it’s a victory. Yeah, Zim snapped when Cousins pushed him,” Allen said Monday on KFAN. “And looking back at it, the former head coach got that side-eye and rage steaming from his nostrils. And he wanted to go. But then he didn’t want to go. Kirk sensed a free shot during the working relationship and he got one in.”

After that game, Zimmer said he was glad Cousins was showing some leadership. “He came over and said, ‘You like that?’ He kind of gave me a shove and I shoved him back. It’s all good,” Zimmer said.

Coming into 2022, Cousins is 33-29-1 as a starter with the Vikings. In 120 starts since 2012, he’s 59-59-2 as a starter.

2021 was a career year for Cousins as he went 8-8 as a starter, completing 66.3-percent of his passes for 4,221 yards and 33 touchdowns, and seven picks. He made the Pro Bowl for the third time in his career and the second time in the last three.