MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins said he’s unconcerned about catching the coronavirus, with a worry on a scale of one to 10 that’s “about a 0.000001.”
In a wide-ranging interview for an NFL-themed podcast released on Wednesday, Cousins said he wants to “respect other people’s concerns” about COVID-19 by wearing a face covering. He also said he’s counting on his health and fitness as safeguards against the disease.
“I’m going to go about my daily life. If I get it, I’m going to ride it out. I’m going to let nature do its course, a survival of the fittest kind of approach, and just say if it knocks me out, it knocks me out. I’m going to be OK,” Cousins told host Kyle Brandt, who’s also an NFL Network morning show personality, for The Ringer Podcast Network.
“Even if I die, I die. I kind of have peace about that. That’s really where I fall on it, so my opinion on wearing a mask is really about being respectful to other people. It really has nothing to do with my personal thoughts.”
Regardless of anyone’s views on the virus, all NFL players, coaches and staff, of course, are subject to strict protocols at team headquarters this year. Cousins said himself on Twitter a couple of weeks before reporting to training camp that “health and safety has to come first.”
The league announced four new confirmed positive tests among players and six new confirmed positives among other personnel from 58,621 tests administered to a total of 8,739 players and team personnel between Aug. 21-29.
Sixty-seven players opted out of the 2020 season because of virus-related health concerns.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, center, works among rookie prospects as they reported to the NFL football team complex for the opening of training camp Wednesday, July 25, 2018, in Eagan, Minn. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
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