Want to see a phrase that you probably never thought you’d read when the season began? Cool, here you go: Kirk Cousins has made NFL history.
Just three games into the 2026 season, the former Michigan State quarterback has done something that no other passer has done in the history of the sport.
After throwing three touchdown passes in each of his first two games, Cousins threw three more on Sunday evening to start the season with nine touchdown passes to three interceptions. He’s the first quarterback past the age of 38 in NFL history to throw three in each of his team’s first three games.
QB Kirk Cousins (@KirkCousins8) is now the first quarterback age 38 or older in NFL history to record three passing touchdowns in each of his team’s first three games of a season.
— Raiders PR (@RAIDERS_PR) September 27, 2026
While the stat does seem uber specific, when you consider the great quarterbacks recently who have played past the age of 38, it becomes even more impressive.
Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and currently Aaron Rodgers is doing it with the Steelers over the age of 40, but he’s shown clear signs of slowing down. They all obviously took a step back around this age, and Cousins has, too, but the former Michigan State quarterback has looked like he’s gotten a second wind with the Raiders this season.
Yes, it’s only been three games so a lot could change over the next 14, but Cousins looks to have rebounded nicely from the forgettable 2024 and 2025 seasons in Atlanta.
Cousins played in 24 games with the Falcons and passed for 5,229 yards and 28 touchdowns with 21 interceptions. Those aren’t horrible numbers, but it was clear that he didn’t quite have the same zip on the ball. He looked like a shell of the guy who had 25-plus touchdowns in five straight years with the Minnesota Vikings.
Something has lit a fire under him and it may just be a No. 1 overall pick, but Cousins is playing as well as any quarterback in the league right now for the 3-0 Raiders.
Kirk Cousins continues to climb up all-time passing lists
Although “all-time great” isn’t the first thing that’s going to come out of people’s mouths in 15-20 years when speaking about Cousins, he absolutely should be in some “consistent for a long time” conversations.
Plus, he has numbers comparable to some all-time NFL legends.
With his 661 passing yards this season, Cousins now has 45,361 career yards through the air which is good for 19th in NFL history, just ahead of Drew Bledsoe. He’s also fewer than 2,000 yards away from passing Fran Tarkington for No. 15 all time. If Cousins has an average season, he could finish the year 14th in all-time passing yards.
As for passing touchdowns, his nine this season now give him 307 for his career. That puts him at No. 14 in NFL history, passing up John Elway in Week 1. He would need 35 more this season to pass Tarkenton for 13th, but he’s probably staying where he is barring an MVP-type year.
Will he keep this torrid pace? Probably not, but it’s fun to watch right now.
Add us as a preferred source on Google