The “Kirk Cousins curse” has finally been broken. 13 years into Cousins’ NFL career, the Eagles became the first team to overcome the magic.
Up until Sunday, no team had ever lost to Cousins in the regular season and went on to win the Super Bowl. That notably included last year’s 49ers, who lost to the Vikings in Week 7 of the 2023 season and then squandered a 10-0 lead against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII. That was perhaps the most striking example of the curse, though there had been many to come before it.
The Eagles somehow avoided a similar fate. After losing 22-21 to Cousins’ Falcons in Week 2, Philadelphia survived a scare against the Rams in the divisional round, blew out the Commanders in the NFC title game, and then romped to a 34-0 lead over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, eventually winning 40-22. Yes, they prevented a Kansas City three-peat, but the end of the Cousins curse is really what everyone should be talking about.
The Kirk Cousins curse has finally been broken by Philadelphia. https://t.co/AMymIxsri4 pic.twitter.com/AhtIZQC27G
— ≋ Ӎ𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒ട௦ꚍ𝑎 Ӎ𝑖ĸ𝑒 ≋ (@VikingsDynasty) February 10, 2025
Cousins was drafted by Washington in 2012 and spent three years as their full-time starter from 2015-17. The curse was just getting started during that time, with the 2016 Packers losing in the NFC title game after falling to Cousins earlier in the season. The 2016 Giants and 2017 Rams both lost in the wild card round.
Cousins then signed with the Vikings in 2018 and spent the next six seasons there, and the curse continued. The ’18 Eagles, one year removed from a Super Bowl win, lost to Minnesota and then fell in the divisional round. The ’19 Eagles fell in the wild card round. The Packers, who were frequent victimes of the Cousins curse, fell in the 2020 NFC title game and the divisional round in ’21 and ’23. 2022 saw the Bills, Dolphins, and Giants all fall to the curse.
It even continued past the 49ers Super Bowl and into this past season, with the Buccaneers — who lost to Cousins’ Falcons twice — falling short in the wild card round. But in history-defying fashion, the Eagles were able to vanquish it. In total, I believe teams had been 0-14 in winning Super Bowls after losing to Cousins in the regular season, prior to Philadelphia’s success.
To overcome not only the Chiefs’ devil magic but the Cousins curse in one game makes the Eagles’ championship one of the more impressive feats in NFL history.
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