Michigan State Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-Imagn Images Mike Carter-Imagn Images

A former Michigan nemesis set to star on Netflix with Joe Burrow and Jared Goff

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Jerred Johnson | Last updated Jul 8, 2025 11:41 AM ET

Former Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins was a thorn in the side of the Michigan football program during his time in East Lansing. With head coach Mark Dantonio, Cousins finished his career at MSU a sparkling 4-0 against his rivals from Ann Arbor. While Cousins was not the most gifted quarterback and was never nationally recognized, he had the necessary tools and toughness needed to excel in the Michigan and Michigan State rivalry.

During his four years as a Spartan, the MSU program took a page from Michigan and beat the Wolverines with toughness. They controlled the trenches, ran the ball, and seemed to take the rivalry a bit more seriously than the Wolverines. It did not hurt that Michigan was struggling as a program during those four years.

JOE BURROW
KIRK COUSINS
JARED GOFF

Quarterback Season 2 premieres July 8. pic.twitter.com/mTach9bzQr
— Netflix (@netflix) June 23, 2025

Cousins left MSU and headed to the NFL after his senior season and has carved out a decent career there. He has secured some astounding contracts, and his statistics are elite among NFL quarterbacks. He has struggled to win any meaningful games in the NFL or make a deep playoff run, but he has always been a fan favorite. That explains why Netflix chose him to star alongside Joe Burrow and Jared Goff in season two of their documentary Quarterbacks.

The show follows the behind-the-scenes preparation needed to be an elite quarterback in the NFL. Cousins is not slated to start this season, as former Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix has replaced him. With the other two stars of the show firmly entrenched as top-10 quarterbacks in the league, it will be interesting to see how Netflix portrays Cousins' journey.

This article first appeared on Michigan Wolverines on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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