Kirk Daniel Cousins was a three-sport athlete in high school playing football, basketball, and baseball (pitcher/third baseman). The 6'3 competitor took his talents to Michigan State University in 2007 where he was redshirted that same year. The following year, he played backup quarterback behind Brian Hoyer. In 2009, he won the starting quarterback job and led the Spartans 28-12 record during his tenure at the institution and a 4-0 record against the school's rival in the Michigan Wolverines.
Cousins went on to be drafted 102nd overall in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins under a rookie contract of just $2.5 million. Which came to be a surprise being that the Redskins had drafted Heisman Trophy winner, Robert Griffin III, the year before. After Griffin suffered some career-altering injuries in 2014, Cousins stepped up and set several franchise records as the team's starting quarterback for the next three seasons before signing an $84 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings. With a signing bonus of $3 million, endorsements, and incentives Cousins has accumulated a career earning of $100.6 million thus far.