Kirk Cousins - Quarterback, raiders Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-17 | Full transcript (primary source).
Kirk Cousins addressed the media during a press conference on September 17, 2026, as the Raiders prepare for their upcoming game against the Chargers. The session focused on the team's performance and strategies, particularly in relation to the challenges posed by the Chargers' defense.
Transcript
Cousins: Morning, guys. Good challenge this week. I have a lot of respect for the Chargers defense for their skiing, their players, coaching staff, and do a good challenge for us. So got a good plan. We're digesting today and getting ready to go take to practice, but can take any questions you have.
Reporter: When you watched the film, did you see even more how impressive your offensive line was on Sunday?
Cousins: Yeah, no. They did a great job of creating pockets where I had time, I was able to take three hitches at times. Our coaches did a great job with the scheme, giving us clean pockets. And then people were playing with urgency. And I think all that kind of comes together to create a day where I don't wake up too sore on Monday. But they guys did a great job up front.
Reporter: Clint talked about wanting to take more shots down the field, going forward. What are your thoughts on that? And how do you do that effectively going forward?
Cousins: Yeah, I feel like defenses around the league, I've really tried their best to prevent explosives if it means the run game is a little more effective than so be it. But defenses, I think, are willing to give up some runs in order to make sure they're getting deeper than the deepest and putting more players back there. So it's that dance all game all season of how aggressive do defenses want to be, and then how do we counter that. And you kind of have to, shots will get called. You've got to try to get them. If they're not there, then you've got to check it down. And you've got to play for the next play, and vice versa. When we have a chance down the field, they give us one, we've got to take advantage of it.
Reporter: On your touchdown take, Jack, Tyler had pretty impressive reactions to get back to the stunting defensive lineman. Is that kind of rare to see that type of athleticism and reaction out of the center?
Cousins: Well, yeah, I think he's a great polar. I think he is a great athlete. And I think he is a great example of someone who plays with a lot of urgency and quickness and twitch and speed. And I'm sure it showed on that play and a lot of other ones throughout the game.
Reporter: Did you know from the beginning Ashton was going to be such a big part of the passing game, or have you seen him develop and get better in that area?
Cousins: I think he's very natural at it. He has the ability to contribute in that way. And as I said with like a Dalvin Cook years ago, we want our players getting the football in their hands. And it doesn't really matter how it gets in their hands. Let's just get it in their hands and let them go make plays.
Reporter: You've played with a lot of centers in your career. I guess what have you seen or what have you learned from him in the time you've been? And that makes him kind of so special as a person and player.
Cousins: Well, I think he's got a great attitude each day. Football matters to him. He's a professional. And he's a true teammate. He's a servant. He'll do what needs to be done. And I think he's just checking a lot of boxes. And we're going to ask a lot of them this season.
Reporter: What kind of emotion did you go through surpassing John Elway on the all-time touchdown list?
Cousins: I just think it was just a tangible way to point to kind of all the great coaches and teammates I've had over a large time with a lot of different years and seasons and teammates and coaches to be able to just kind of be grateful for all the people who have helped make that possible, and even the people who keep you healthy on the field so you can do that. So just a lot of gratitude.
Reporter: You were a backup as a rookie like Fernando is this year. What was kind of your process to taking the game on game day?
Cousins: Yeah, just kind of the same process I had even last year when I was backing up or any year, even going back to colleges. You got to do all you can, preparing still. You maximize the scout team reps. You try to make plays as much as you can at practice. And then you just kind of go through the paces on game day, watching the game, whether it's talking with the other quarterbacks or with the quarterback coach, just kind of staying in it at all times and being ready at any moment. And that's kind of always the journey when you're one play away.
Reporter: We saw him having his helmet on pretty much the entire game and repeating kind of his duties back to Mike Sullivan. It's kind of what you make of his diligence kind of going through the first game.
Cousins: Yeah, I think it's important to hear it through the helmet because it simulates the real thing as opposed to the earpiece and just best to play the game basically as best you can from where you're standing.
Reporter: I noticed several times on Sunday you were holding the ears trying to hear. Were you having problems hearing?
Cousins: No, I've always done that. I guess maybe just out of an abundance of caution, just wanted to make sure I don't miss a word or a detail. Even at home, you never know when the crowd might get loud or the loudspeaker may come on or music may play. So it's not necessarily crowd noise. It might be the PA or some other reason that there's noise. And sometimes someone's talking to me and I want to let them know I'm listening. So a few different reasons, but at the end of the day, I just don't want to miss a detail.
Reporter: Thoughts on Derwin James, too, going against the first time in a divisional match.
Cousins: Right, yeah, no, really good football player. Has been doing it for a long time. And his reputation kind of precedes him. And so it'd be a great challenge for us going against the player of his caliber.
Reporter: We don't have a cookout. Have you found a post-game routine?
Cousins: I mean, in and out is tough to beat. I mean, I have an in and out problem, if you will. So I'm not a very patient person, so waiting in the lines can be tough. So I tend to park and go in. In my mind, I tell myself that's faster. I don't know if it actually is or not. But I'm a park and walk in. And I try to be strategic when I go as far as wait times. I haven't quite figured out that hack. Maybe it's early, 10, 30, 11 when they first open. But I got an in and out problem. It wasn't a big deal when I lived in the Central or Eastern time zone. But on the West Coast time zone when I signed with the Raiders, I knew this is going to be an issue. And that is a great cheat meal. And coming home from a win on a Sunday night, I don't know if I can think of a better spot than that.
Reporter: Do you know about the secret menu?
Cousins: I do. I was actually teaching my boys about it. I was teaching my boys about the Bible versus under the cups and the burger wrappers and different things. So there's a lot of fun things that make in and out what it is. And it's hard for me to fully articulate why I like it so much. But yeah, I'm a sucker for it.
Reporter: Do you have a go-to order?
Cousins: Yeah, I actually have a go-to order I'm not very proud of. If I'm really hungry and I did this in August on an off day, I had three three-by-threes. I don't get onions. I don't get onions. But then I also get fries. And don't usually do a shake. Don't usually do a shake. That's probably the one discipline I try to have. But yeah, I can put down a lot of in and out burgers.
Reporter: Going to the chargers again, your defense is obviously coming up with a little bit of extra ad motivation after last week. How does that add a different layer of a challenge?
Cousins: It's a home game for them. I know they always do play with intensity. But certainly, that'll be the case Sunday. A lot of competitive people on that defense and have played against many of them over the years. And I expect it to be a tremendous challenge for us.
Reporter: Obviously, this team is not where you hope it to be in week 17. But looking at where you started and where they finished on Sunday, are you pretty proud of how far these guys have come?
Cousins: Well, yeah, I think it's still so early. And we've got a long ways to go. But we're just going to keep building. And I think it's been a want to just lay the foundation through the offseason, through training camp. I think we did that as well as we could. And now you lean on that foundation as you go into week two and keep building from here.
Reporter: I've seen both his receiving touchdowns were on routes beyond the line of scrimmage. How have you seen him grow as a route runner? And how can he affect defenses downfield in the past game?
Cousins: Yeah, I think Ashton's ready and willing and able to do whatever he's asked to do. I think that speaks to his ability. And I think it's all about week to week what our coaches design, what they want to do, how they want to use him, use our teammates. And he certainly did a tremendous job on Sunday. He's one of the guys that we'll ask a lot of throughout the year.
Reporter: One of those touchdowns, Connor kind of took out a couple of hits on that play. How big was he for the offense? How vital a role does he play?
Cousins: Yeah, the fullback in the system is extremely important. They tend to be a Swiss Army knife where they have to wear a lot of hats. And Connor's that player. He can make the blocks that he needs to make. He can catch the ball. So that combination of finesse and physicality, I think a great fullback has. And Connor has it. And then mentally, we'll ask him to understand a lot when it comes to recognizing different defensive looks and both the run game and the pass game and the protection game. So he's a person who can handle all that. And he's the kind of guy you want in the huddle next to you.
Reporter: How would you rate his quarterback sneak technique?
Cousins: Just got to keep those legs driving. It's very difficult to practice in training camp if you're not full pads, if you're not live, if you're not going to the ground. It's something you can rep and go through the paces. But it's never really the same until you're in the real thing.
Cousins: OK, thank you. And I only do the three by threes one time. If I'm showing restraint, it's usually like two, two by twos. So I can be a normal person, but that was a unique time.
