Before quarterback Kirk Cousins missed last week's game against the Packers after testing positive for COVID-19, the only other absence of his seven NFL seasons as a full-time starter was being held out of 2019's regular season finale against the Bears because the Vikings had locked up a playoff spot.
Cousins will start this Sunday's regular season finale against the Bears, also devoid of playoff implications as they're mathematically eliminated, after he was officially activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Wednesday.
Cousins said he had "mild symptoms" while watching on television as the Vikings (7-9) and their playoff hopes were extinguished in a 37-10 loss at Lambeau Field on Sunday night. Quarterback Sean Mannion threw for 189 yards and a touchdown in his third NFL start.
"Just had my call sheet out in front of me watching the game," Cousins said Wednesday from TCO Performance Center via videoconference. "Still trying to stay as engaged as I could."
His isolation lasted the minimum five days, from Friday's positive test through Tuesday, as set out by updated NFL protocols for players if symptoms improve. Vaccinated players — like right tackle Brian O'Neill, who returned Wednesday after two days on the COVID list — can test out sooner as long as they're asymptomatic. Under previous rules, Cousins would've been required to miss 10 days, including the Bears game, because he's unvaccinated. Safety Harrison Smith missed games against the Ravens and Chargers after testing positive under those former protocols.
But Zimmer expects Cousins and every starter available to play against Chicago, with the coach saying he won't make any playing time adjustments based on being eliminated from playoff contention. Zimmer said only "no" on Wednesday when asked if he'd consider playing rookies who hadn't seen the field much this season.
"It's really, for us, as important as any football game we have," said Cousins, who has thrown for 3,971 yards, 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 15 starts. "You only get so many opportunities. You want to always when you step in between the white lines put a great product out there, and play hard for your teammates."
Starters are expected to include three players put on the COVID list on Monday: linebacker Eric Kendricks, left tackle Christian Darrisaw and left guard Ezra Cleveland, according to Zimmer.
"With the [new] protocols," Zimmer said, "we expect them to be back."
Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields will start against the Vikings after being cleared to return from an ankle injury, coach Matt Nagy told Chicago reporters on Wednesday. Fields hasn't played since injuring his ankle in the Vikings' 17-9 win on Dec. 20.
Six Vikings players remained quarantined away from the team as of Wednesday afternoon, including the most recent addition, defensive end Tashawn Bower.
Motivation won't be hard to come by for running back Dalvin Cook. He stood and pulled up his shirt, revealing a tattoo on his side that honors his father, James, who passed away unexpectedly a year ago, when asked about playing against the Bears knowing it's the final game of this season.
"That's one of my reasons," Cook said. "Every time, I'm going to compete; that's how he raised me."
Everybody else should at least play for pride, Cook said, as the game still count's on everyone's résumés. The Vikings have 17 players scheduled to be unrestricted free agents, including linebacker Anthony Barr, defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, cornerback Patrick Peterson, safety Xavier Woods and linebacker Nick Vigil.
"Putting good film out there, that's what this thing is about," Cook said. "We didn't get the outcome that we wanted, yeah, and that's squarely on us as an organization as a whole. We lost games as players, as coaches all as one. Games we want back — we can't go get them back — so now we have to go out here and compete and have some pride about ourselves."
