Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is 36 years old and entering his 13th NFL season, an age where most players in his position have their own strict lifestyle guidelines.
Tom Brady may have a knack for avocado ice cream, but Cousins might claim his knack is peeling burger buns. He told GQ Not only does he rip off burger buns on Tuesdays, he now often skips eating burgers.
“When I eat a burger, I take the bun off. I hold the bun, but only to hold it. I eat everything else but the bun,” Cousins said.
Cousins added that this was all in an effort to avoid gluten.The gluten-free diet has become one of the most widely adopted among older NFL players and athletes in recent years as more research is published about gluten’s effects on the body.
Other notable NFL quarterbacks who have gone gluten-free include Brady and Drew Brees.
But Cousins took it a step further and cut out all grains entirely, a decision based on his particular blood chemistry.
“I had some tests and blood work done and it turned out that although a lot of people are gluten-free, I needed to cut out not only gluten but also grains like rice and corn, which my body reacts poorly to,” Cousins told GQ.
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (No. 18) passes the ball during an OTA offseason workout at the Atlanta Falcons training facility on May 14, 2024 in Flowery Branch, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
This sudden lifestyle change was prompted by Cousins’ experience with a ruptured Achilles tendon last season, which he suffered in a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Oct. 29. Cousins was fresh off the best season of his career in 2022, but the injury effectively ended his six-year career with the Minnesota Vikings.
Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason, while the Vikings signed Sam Darnold in free agency and selected J.J. McCarthy in the first round this year, after suffering a season-ending torn meniscus during training camp.
But now, with competition expected at the quarterback position, Cousins will be looking to get into top physical shape with the Falcons. Despite signing Cousins to a big contract, the Falcons also used their first-round pick in this year’s draft to select quarterback Michael Pennis Jr.
Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks Kirk Cousins #18 and Michael Pennis Jr. #9 watch during an OTA offseason workout at the Atlanta Falcons training facility on May 14, 2024 in Flowery Branch, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Cousins is the named starter to open the season, but with Penix on the roster and the quarterback’s early first-round draft salary of $22.8 million plus $13.4 million in bonuses over the next four years, Cousins will be under intense scrutiny.
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So he carefully watched everything he ate to avoid reinjuring himself this year.
Some experts say that cutting out gluten can help reduce inflammation in certain people. Inflammation makes muscle tissue less flexible, making tendons like the Achilles tendon, meniscus, and anterior cruciate ligament stiffer and more likely to break. Even if you don’t tear anything, inflammation can cause joint pain, stiffness, and other problems.
With Cousins approaching his late 30s, the burger bun may be one of many sacrifices he must make to stay relevant in the NFL.
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