EAGAN, Minn. -- Early in Episode 3 of the Netflix series "Quarterback," Kirk Cousins looked into the camera and explained what it really feels like to play that position in the NFL.
"There are games," he said, "where you think, 'This has to be the worst job alive.' You're just standing in there and you can't even brace yourself for these hits."
Among other takeaways, "Quarterback" added visceral context to the Minnesota Vikings' decision to not sign Cousins, who is in the final year of his contract, to an extension this spring. Watching Cousins get pummeled in the pocket (most notably by hits in Weeks 9 and 10 that caused rib pain and bruising) was a reminder of the outsized punishment he has already taken in his professional career.