Mike Shanahan backs Kirk Cousins to be successful with Vikings

Mike Shanahan coached Kirk Cousins when he was a young quarterback with the Washington Redskins, so he knows something about the current Minnesota Viking.

Shanahan firmly believes that Cousins, with new Minnesota assistant Gary Kubiak helping him, will prove to be the right quarterback for the Vikings despite a middling first season there.

“Both guys are very easy to work with, both are extremely bright, have great work ethics and I think both will work together perfectly,” Shanahan said, via Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune. “You have the right [quarterback] there. Not everybody can see that, but hopefully when they get him a supporting cast, people will see that.”

Cousins threw for 4,298 yards and 30 touchdowns for Minnesota last season, but the offense didn’t move as freely as many expected it to despite those numbers. It even led to the late-season firing of their offensive coordinator. Cousins can clearly put up the numbers, but he has to do more in terms of helping his team win.