The Vikings certainly have no ill will towards Cousins because he was extremely popular in the locker room before he left and was a strong and accurate passer. But if the Vikings had kept Cousins for another tour of duty, they would have had to give him a contract similar to the one he signed with the Falcons.

After six years in Minnesota, Cousins makes his first return to U.S. Bank Stadium since joining the Falcons in March.

The Atlanta Falcons were riding high after a Week 9 win over the Dallas Cowboys. They upped their record to 6-3, the team's best start since 2016, the season in which they went to the Super Bowl. At the time,