FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- A shirtless Kirk Cousins swayed back and forth, almost dancing in place with several expensive chains around his neck while wearing stylish, black-rimmed glasses.
It was November 2022, and Cousins' Minnesota Vikings had just come from 10 points down to beat his former team, the Washington Commanders, in a key late-season game. That was the origin of Cousins' alter ego, which was dubbed by teammates as "Kirko Chainz."
That version of Cousins -- minus the chains -- has always existed. There's the Cousins that goofs around by quoting '90s Ben Stiller movies such as "Heavyweights" and jokes about taking teammates on a tour of casual-dining chain restaurants such as Texas Roadhouse.