Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins caused a stir online on Monday (August 19) when the team reportedly presented the quarterback with their practice playlist, which was full of rock music from the early 2000s, for his 36th birthday.
Cousins, who had previously declared his love for Creed and even considered booking the band for a private party, seemed to be in more of a pop-punk mood for his special day, as the rehearsal playlist was filled with hits from Jimmy Eat World, All-American Rejects, Green Day, Blink-182, All Time Low, Good Charlotte and more.
However, it wasn’t all pop punk, as the bands included Foo Fighters, The Killers, 3 Doors Down and Fountains of Wayne.
NFL reporter Kay Adams was one of the first to notice Cousins’ rocking playlist while she was doing interviews at the Falcons’ training camp earlier this week. It didn’t take long for Jimmy Eat World to notice the mention and share the famous “You like that” meme from Cousins’ playing days in Washington.
Are there hidden messages in Kirk Cousins’ playlist?
The NFL season is just a few weeks away, and teams are always trying to gain an advantage and get themselves in the right mental state. But is it possible that the new Atlanta Falcons quarterback had another goal in mind when he released his playlist? NFL Network host Kyle Brandt analyzed Cousins’ selection and believed he found some hidden messages for Cousins’ teammates in the song selection.
In a humorous segment on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” Brandt specifically pointed out that much of the playlist consisted of old Madden football games that he likely played at the time.
“I feel like there’s something going on here that’s no joke,” Brandt explained. “I spent all of last night in my hotel room in LA not only studying this playlist but listening to it, and my conclusion is that Kirk is trying to tell us something, that this playlist contains hidden messages that are hidden right in front of our eyes.”
Brandt added: “Seventeen weeks in a season, 17 songs. I think Kirk sees the whole season in this playlist.”
READ MORE: NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins investigated booking Creed for a private party
What observations did Brandt make? First, he mentions Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” noting that Cousins is on a new team with a new coach and coming off a major injury. “Week 1, Track 1. That’s Jimmy Eat World… I think he’s just telling his team, ‘It just takes some time. Everything, everything will be OK.’ I don’t think they win Week 1. I think he knows that. They’re playing Pittsburgh. He’s saying, ‘Do your best, do everything you can. It just takes some time.'”
Jimmy Eat World, “The Middle”
Elsewhere, Brandt says of the Foo Fighters’ “Best of You,” saying that the track’s placement on the playlist coincides with the Falcons’ game against the Las Vegas Raiders. “What does someone coming back from Las Vegas, a good Christian boy like Kirk Cousins, say? ‘I’ve got something to confess! … And I’m going to need the best, the best, the best of you to beat the Las Vegas Raiders.'” Brandt also humorously points out a similarity between Dave Grohl and Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew.
Foo Fighters, “Best of You”
Perhaps the most off-the-wall observation of all was that Cousins chose Maroon 5’s “This Love” for the playlist, and that it was fitting for the Falcons’ game against the Washington Commanders. Cousins began his career at Washington, whose uniform colors include maroon, and he’s going up against rookie QB Jayden Daniels. Who wears what number? Yes, No. 5.
Maroon 5, “This Love”
Check out Brandt’s full breakdown below.
NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt finds hidden messages in Kirk Cousins’ playlist
Whether you’re looking for hidden messages or just want to take a musical trip back to the early 2000s, listen to Kirk Cousins’ Birthday Practice playlist below, currently available on Spotify.
But wait, there’s a twist
Unfortunately, after Kirk Cousins’ playlist made the rounds, it turned out that the Falcons’ new quarterback wasn’t solely responsible for the song selection. Sports Illustrated writer and SI Media podcast host Jimmy Traina revealed that Cousins later admitted to Kyle Brandt in a voice message that a Falcons assistant had put together the playlist by guessing what songs Cousins would like to hear.
I guess that explains the glaring absence of Creed!
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Get your dickies and black wristbands ready.
Gallery Credits: Loudwire Staff
