Vikings place Cousins, Mond & Stanley on reserve/COVID-19 list

Jake Browning only active QB on roster

MINNEAPOLIS – (FOX 9) The Minnesota Vikings announced on Monday they’ve placed quarterbacks Kirk Cousins, Kellen Mond and Nate Stanley, along with receiver Myron Mitchell, on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Mond reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, and Cousins and Stanley are considered high risk close contacts. That left Jake Browning as the only quarterback available for Saturday night’s practice.

Mike Zimmer, clearly agitated by the news before the practiced, used it as a platform to encourage his players to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

“Quite honestly, going through everything we went through last year, I’m not surprised one bit. I am disappointed that this happened. I’m frustrated with, not just my football players that won’t get vaccinated. I’m frustrated with everybody, so we’ll just do the best we can. It’s disappointing,” Zimmer said. “It’s why I think people should get vaccinated. This Delta variant is rough. You can see the cases going up every single day now, and it’s why for the sake of everybody’s health, it’s important. But some people don’t understand I guess.”

All four players must participate in team activities virtually until they are cleared to return to TCO Performance Center. Mond, who is vaccinated, can return once he has two consecutive negative tests 24 hours apart. Players not vaccinated have a five-day window to test negative before they can return.

It remains to be seen if Cousins and Stanley will be back by the weekend. The Vikings host a scrimmage from 12-2 p.m. on Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium.