Kirk Cousins revealed in his introductory press conference with the Atlanta Falcons last month that tight end Kyle Pitts joked that he was willing to hand off the No. 8 jersey if it meant he would be targeted more.
And the former Minnesota Vikings quarterback would’ve happily made that exchange if it hadn’t been for the NFL.
During a recent appearance on “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” Cousins said that keeping the No. 8 jersey would’ve been a costly move after the league stepped in to inform both Pitts and Cousins that they would have to both cut a check to cover the jerseys that already existed.
“[Pitts] wanted to switch numbers anyway, so it was like a perfect fit,” Cousins said.
“And then the league spoke into it. They were like ‘Well, Kyle Pitts has a lot of jerseys that are No. 8 with Pitts on the back. You would have to buy every single one.’
NBA legend Shaquille O’ Neal quickly jumped in to say he would never pay for a number, especially after hearing what it would’ve cost Cousins.
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“It was a big number. And I was like ‘I don’t want to write that check. I’m good, I’m happy.’”
He estimated, “It was several hundred thousand.”
Cousins will instead wear No. 18 next season when he steps on the field for Atlanta – a place he hopes will be his last.
The Falcons signed Cousins to a $180 million, four-year deal that includes a $50 million signing bonus and $100 million guaranteed.
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