Walk into U.S. Bank Stadium on any given Sunday in 2026, and you’ll see something that feels a little like a glitch in the Matrix. Amidst the sea of Justin Jefferson jerseys and the fresh No. 9 kits of the J.J. McCarthy era, there is a persistent, undeniable ghost. The No. 8. Specifically, the Kirk Cousins Vikings jersey.
Why? He’s been gone for two seasons. He’s wearing No. 18 for the Atlanta Falcons now (mostly because the NFL tried to charge him several hundred thousand dollars to buy out Kyle Pitts' inventory if he wanted his old number back). Yet, the purple and gold version of his jersey hasn't hit the thrift store bins the way you'd expect.
Honestly, the Kirk Cousins era in Minnesota was weird. It was six years of polarizing stats, "You Like That!" echoes, and a 33-0 comeback that literally put his jersey in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That’s not a figure of speech. The actual jersey he wore during the historic win against the Colts in 2022 is sitting in Canton, Ohio. You don't just throw that kind of gear in the trash because a guy signed a massive deal in Georgia.
The weird afterlife of the No. 8 jersey
When a star leaves a team, the jersey usually follows one of two paths. It either becomes a "legacy" item—think Randy Moss or Fran Tarkenton—or it becomes a "remember that guy?" relic found at the bottom of a TJ Maxx clearance rack. The Kirk Cousins Vikings jersey is doing neither. It’s stuck in this strange middle ground where fans still wear it as a badge of "He was actually better than you remember."
Statistics don't lie, even if they don't always tell the whole story. Cousins finished his tenure third all-time in Vikings passing yards. He threw 171 touchdowns in purple.
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Basically, he was the most consistent thing the franchise had at quarterback since the 1970s. For a certain segment of the fanbase, wearing that jersey isn't about missing the player; it's about acknowledging the stability.
Why you’re seeing more of them lately
There’s a practical reason for the recent resurgence, too. With rumors swirling in early 2026 that Cousins might actually return to Minnesota as a high-end veteran backup or a "bridge" mentor for McCarthy, the old jerseys are being pulled out of the back of closets.
- The Price Factor: You can find authentic Nike Vapor jerseys for a fraction of the original $175 price tag on secondary markets.
- The Hall of Fame Connection: That Colts comeback cemented the No. 8 as a piece of NFL history.
- The "Irony" Wear: Younger fans have started wearing them almost ironically, leaning into the "Kirko Chainz" persona that took over the locker room toward the end of his stint.
What most people get wrong about the design
If you’re looking to pick one up now, you have to be careful. Because Cousins was in Minnesota from 2018 to 2023, there are actually three distinct versions of the jersey that look "right" but have different specs.
The most common is the Nike Game Jersey. These are the ones with the screen-printed numbers. They’re comfortable, but let’s be real—the numbers crack after about ten washes. If you find a "new" one today, check the stitching. If it’s been sitting in a warehouse since 2021, the screen print might already be peeling.
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Then you have the Limited and Elite versions. These are the ones with the stitched names and numbers. In the Kirk Cousins Vikings jersey world, the "Limited" version is the gold standard for fans. It uses the Nike Vapor F.U.S.E. template which fits more like a regular shirt and less like a suit of armor.
- Check the collar. Authentic Vikings jerseys from the Cousins era have the Norse "braid" pattern inside the neck.
- Look at the font. The Vikings use a custom font where the numbers are slightly "sharpened" at the edges to look like Viking horns. Knockoffs usually get this wrong, using a standard block font.
The Sam Howell complication
Here is a detail that tripped up a lot of people in 2025. When the Vikings traded for Sam Howell, they gave him No. 8. For a few months, people thought they could just "name-swap" their old Cousins jerseys.
It didn't quite work.
Fans who tried to put a "HOWELL" nameplate over a Cousins jersey realized the spacing was all wrong. Plus, the legacy of the number in Minnesota is currently so tied to Kirk's "middle-of-the-road-but-statistically-elite" vibe that seeing Howell in it felt like wearing your ex’s hoodie. It’s the same number, sure, but the energy is different.
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Is it still "cool" to wear one?
Sports fashion is fickle. Usually, wearing a jersey of a guy on another active roster is a faux pas. But Cousins is different. He left on relatively good terms. There wasn't a messy holdout or a trade demand that burned the city down. He just... went where the money was.
Fans in Minnesota seem to respect the hustle. You'll see the jersey at the State Fair, at high school games, and definitely at the stadium. It’s become a "safe" jersey. It says, "I was there for the 13-win season, the Buffalo catch, and the 33-point comeback."
Buying tips for the 2026 season
If you’re hunting for a Kirk Cousins Vikings jersey today, don’t buy full price. The official NFL Shop and Vikings Locker Room stores have mostly moved on to the current roster, but you can still find "Custom" options where you can technically order a No. 8 with "COUSINS" on the back.
Don't do that. It’ll cost you $130+.
Instead, hit up sites like eBay or Poshmark. Because so many were produced during his six-year run, the market is flooded. You can grab a stitched Limited jersey for under $50 if you’re patient. Just make sure you aren't buying a Falcons No. 18 by mistake—those colors do not look good on anyone who isn't actually in Atlanta.
The real value is in the "Primetime Purple" alternates. These were the jerseys the team wore for night games, featuring the gold numbers without the white outline. They are significantly rarer and, honestly, look way better than the standard home jerseys.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check the Tag: If buying used, look for the "NFL On-Field" shield. If the silver holo-tag is missing from the bottom hem, it’s a fake.
- Size Up: The Nike jerseys from the late 2010s (when Kirk arrived) run notoriously small through the shoulders. If you're between sizes, go up.
- Wait for the Trade: If the rumors of a Cousins return to the Vikings in a backup role actually materialize this off-season, prices for these jerseys will skyrocket instantly. Buy now while he’s still technically an "ex-player."