What team did Kirk Cousins play for prior to joining the Vikings?

Before joining the Vikings, Kirk Cousins played for the Washington Redskins. Washington selected Cousins in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, even though the team had also drafted quarterback Robert Griffin III in the first round that year.

Cousins initially served as a backup, but injuries and performance opportunities eventually made him Washington's starting quarterback. He became known for productive passing seasons and for playing under consecutive franchise tags in 2016 and 2017. He left Washington as a free agent in 2018 and signed with the Minnesota Vikings.

The team name in the answer reflects its official name at the time Cousins played there. Washington retired the Redskins name in 2020 and later used the temporary Washington Football Team name before adopting the Commanders name in 2022. Thus, Washington Redskins is the historically precise answer for this question, not a mistake caused by the later rebranding.