Sunday did not represent a classic showing for Falcons QB Kirk Cousins, who continued his sour form with a four-interception outburst against his former employers, the Vikings.
The subpar outing proved too much for Atlanta to overcome. The Falcons fell 42-21 to Minnesota, outdone by the likes of Sam Darnold, Jordan Addison, and, most notably, Justin Jefferson.
Jefferson painted another pass-catching masterpiece, collecting seven catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns to help power Kevin O'Connell's offense. It was just the sort of outing that one has come to expect from Jefferson, one of football's grandest acrobats. He's lanky, lithe, and liable to pluck flies out of the sky if they get too close.
Jefferson may have always had that ability, but it was with Cousins, his former signal-caller, that he was able to cultivate it. Despite the dueling nature of their individual displays on Sunday afternoon, both were quick to laud one another once the dust finally settled on their Week 14 affair.
Here's what you need to know about the postgame embrace that had Vikings fans feeling rather misty-eyed.
SN's NFL HQ: Live NFL scores | Updated NFL standings | Full NFL schedule
Kirk Cousins-Justin Jefferson postgame
After Minnesota put the finishing touches on its victory over the Falcons, Jefferson and Cousins made their way toward the postgame media scramble, bumping shoulders with various players before embracing one another.
When the two finally came into contact, it was all love.
This moment between @JJettas2 and @KirkCousins8 ❤️
— NFL (@NFL) December 9, 2024
"Thank you for what you meant to me, man." 🥹 pic.twitter.com/bJbW1A1OVP
"Kirky, ohhh," Jefferson crooned when his eyes locked on his former hurler.
The two clasped hands and became one, collecting each other in the sort of bear hug expected out of longtime teammates.
"Great to see you my guy," Jefferson added. "Keep doing your s—, dawg."
MORE FALCONS-VIKINGS:
- Kirk Cousins struggles in return to Minnesota
- How NFC South standings look after Falcons loss
- What should Vikings do at QB in 2025?
As the two prepared to part ways, Cousins delivered the most endearing of lines.
"Thank you for what you meant to me, man," Cousins said.
After a few customary pats on the chest, the two went their separate ways. Vikings fans the world over wept in the distance.
Cousins and Jefferson have long had a strong relationship. The two authored up impressive stat totals during their four seasons alongside each other. Although Jefferson was open about his hope that Cousins would return to the Land of 10,000 Lakes following the conclusion of the 2023 season, he understood Cousins' decision to move onto pastures new, as well.
"I'm not mad at him at all for that," Jefferson told Rich Eisen while appearing on his podcast over the summer.
"I feel like he just wanted a new start, a new opportunity to start with Atlanta and a clean slate, and I'm not mad at him at all for that. I'm grateful for what he has brought to me and the things that we have accomplished together."
Sunday's gesture seemed to reaffirm Cousins' and Jefferson's appreciation for each other's craft.
Kirk Cousins-Justin Jefferson stats
Cousins and Jefferson shared the field on 54 occasions across four seasons in Minneapolis. During that time, they were largely effective, as the duo connected for 354 completions, 5,338 yards, and 29 scores.
During that spell, Jefferson established himself as one of the best wideouts in the world. Cousins was a big reason why. So, it's no surprise why the LSU alum would be so quick to shower his former teammate with such lavish praise.
“[J]ust seeing him, and seeing his day-to-day routine, seeing how he comes to work every day, and how he’s on the playbook, how he’s studying hard every single day, how he’s so much into the book — I love that about him,” Jefferson said ahead of Sunday's game (via Pro Football Talk).
“And just his work ethic, and just him as a person is great, always. It’s always great to have a quarterback that you can joke around with and be yourself with and just to have his locker right next to mine, and talk to him every single day, and be with him every single day — it was definitely a great experience.”
