Faith, family, football: The love story of Kirk Cousins and his wife, Julie

Kirk Cousins is known for many things on the football field — including wearing his wedding ring during NFL games.

It’s a reminder of the close bond the Minnesota Vikings quarterback, 35, shares with his wife of nearly a decade, Julie Cousins, 34.

“My wife’s been a huge supporter to me, and I want people not to be afraid of marriage but to be excited about it,” Cousins said after a team workout in 2016, according to USA Today, explaining why he proudly displays a silicon version of his wedding band on the field.

Cousins played for the Washington Commanders, then known as the Washington Redskins, from 2012 to 2017. In 2018, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings with a three-year, $84 million deal, the “richest contract in NFL history” at the time, the league said. He has since renewed his contract through the 2023 season.

In 2022, he tied with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford to set the NFL’s record for the most game-winning drives in a season (eight) and the most fourth-quarter comebacks in a season (also eight).

Cousins tied the knot with his wife, Julie Cousins (née Hampton), in 2014. She previously worked as an elementary school teacher, according to People, and is now involved in the couple’s charity, The Julie and Kirk Cousins Foundation.

The Cousins are parents to two boys, Cooper, 5, and Turner, 4.

Here’s what to know about the couple’s sweet love story through the years.

They have a unique engagement story

The Cousinses met through a mutual friend in 2012 and the following year, Kirk decided to pop the question.

To make his proposal special, he enlisted help from an unlikely source: U.S. Congressman Bill Huizenga, who represents the area where he grew up in Michigan.

“I called him to see if I could propose on the balcony of the Speaker of the House’s office, because I had been there before and seen the view and thought it was a great view,” Cousins told The Washington Post in 2013. “He said they could set it up.”

On the day of the proposal, Nov. 22, 2013, Kirk told Julie they were taking a tour of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

He took her to the balcony, which boasted a view of the National Mall.

“I just mentioned the view, and told her how we’d gotten to know each other in this city and how we had good memories when we used to walk through the city on some of our earlier dates,” Cousins said.

“I went down a knee before it got too sappy, before it got too awkward,” he added. “I don’t remember exactly what she said, but she said yes. That’s all I needed to hear.”

Four years later, he shared a throwback photo of the moment on Instagram.

“4 years ago today, Julie said yes!” he wrote in the caption.

They tied the knot a year later

The couple got married on June 28, 2014, at the Gardens at Great Oaks in Roswell, Georgia.

Kirk shared a wedding throwback photo on Twitter for their first anniversary, a black-and-white picture of him dipping Julie in a kiss as their friends and family cheered them on.

“One year ago today I married my best friend!” he wrote in the caption. “Each day with her is better than the last.”

Julie also shared a wedding throwback photo on Instagram in 2016.

“Celebrating our 2nd anniversary today!” she wrote in the caption. “I love this picture because it sums up exactly how I feel about being Kirk’s wife! 6.28.14 was the best day of my life!”

The couple reflected on marriage in January 2023, comparing it to supporting a football team.

“A true fan is a fanatic about their team. In a way, marriage, you’ve got to be a fanatic about the other person,” Kirk said, in a sponsored Instagram video for Kay. “Even when it’s not easy, even when you might not feel like it.”

“I love being on a team with him,” Julie said. “We’re in this together.”

They welcomed their first child in 2017

Julie gave birth to the couple’s first son, Cooper, on Sept. 29, 2017.

The baby arrived 11 days past his due date and weighed 9 pounds, 6 ounces, according to ESPN.

“I’m sure many of you who are dads and moms know that it’s a special experience,” Cousins told ESPN at the time. “I texted the coaches afterwards and said, ‘That was a top experience of my life so far.’ So I guess that says it all.”

The proud new dad also praised his wife for how she handled pregnancy and labor.

“It’s been a great experience because Julie’s been so positive throughout it,” he said. “She’s been so disciplined. It’s been a joy throughout the nine months and the actual delivery and labor was no different. She was a joy throughout it, just a reminder that I married up.”

He shared a throwback photo of a newborn Cooper for his son’s birthday in 2022.

“Happy Birthday Cooper! I’ll never forget the day Coop was born…face-timing in to our morning QB Meetings w/ KOC, from the delivery room 😆,” he wrote in the caption.

Their second son arrived in 2019

The Cousins announced the birth of their second child, Turner, on Instagram on March 10, 2019.

“Turner Cousins! Welcome to the world, little buddy,” Kirk captioned the photo. “Mom and baby are doing great, and Cooper is already loving his new role as a big brother!”

In the same post, he shared a cute video of 2-year-old Cooper interacting with his baby brother.

Turner, now 4, is already taking an interest in his dad’s football career.

In 2010, Kirk shared an Instagram photo of him and Turner wearing matching Minnesota Vikings helmets as they snuggled in an armchair.

“Turner insisted we wear helmets during the game last night,” he wrote in the caption.

As Turner and Cooper get older, they are definitely becoming football fans, Julie told People earlier this year.

“They do want to watch the game now. They care about the score,” she said. “They want to learn who Kirk’s teammates are, and that makes it even more fun for Kirk and I to teach them all about it. We look forward to more years where they can continue along with us and share that passion with us. It makes it so much more fun where we can include them.”

They bought a golf course last year

The Cousins purchased the Clearbrook Golf Course in Saugatuck, Michigan, in 2022, from their longtime friends Jim and Candy Jeltema.

“West Michigan is a special community, and we have enjoyed living in Saugatuck/Douglas since we built our home here in 2018,” the couple wrote in a statement, according to the Holland Sentinel. “As we discussed the history of the golf club with Jim, we agreed it is a community treasure and should remain a golf course for the next generation.

“Our family would prefer it not become a housing development or summer rental community,” their statement continued. “We want to invest in this great community, and we see this purchase as an opportunity to do just that, maintaining the life of a golf course that has been in place since 1926.”

With their parents owning a golf course, it's no surprise Turner and Cooper are budding golfers.

“Golf with my boys…grinding on our game,” their dad captioned an Instagram of him and his boys playing golf in July.

Faith is key in their lives

The Cousins have been open about the important role their Christian faith plays in their lives.

A mission statement for the couple’s charitable foundation includes a quotation from The Bible in Luke 12:48: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be expected.”

The role faith plays in their family is also evident in a scene from the 2023 Netflix documentary “Quarterback,” which follows Cousins, Patrick Mahomes and Marcus Mariota throughout the 2022-2023 NFL season.

In the show’s fifth episode, Cousins sings and prays as he puts one of his sons to bed.

“Jesus, thanks for today. Thanks for protecting Dad in this football game, and through this football season,” the dad of two says. “Thanks that Cooper was able to be there tonight and watch. And thanks for Mommy and for Turner, for the great family we have. And God, we continue to just give the days ahead to you, and trust you for what’s up ahead.”

The quarterback also touched on his faith as he accepted the 2023 Bart Starr Award.

“Football will one day end. Life will be based on much more than football,” the quarterback said, fighting back tears. “But one thing that can’t be taken from me is my personal relationship with Jesus.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com