Kirk Cousins brings 'You like that' passion to Vikings

EAGAN, Minn. (KMSP) - Quarterback Kirk Cousins' "You like that" mantra was a fan favorite in Washington, D.C. and it'll likely follow him to Minnesota.

But where did the phrase come from?

Amped up after a come-from-behind win in 2015, Cousins shouted the phrase a couple times at a stunned local Washington reporter in the bowels of the stadium on his way to the locker room.

“You like that” became a mantra for Washington and a much-watched internet sensation, eventually finding its way onto a whole bunch of t-shirts. Cousins, enjoying the moment, sold the merchandise and donated tens of thousands of dollars in proceeds to charity.

He still laughs about the heat-of-the moment encounter. A local sports marketing expert told Fox 9 fans of the purple are going to grow to love the quarterback’s passion.

“The first thing that came to my mind was the Bold North,” said Lana Huberty of Concordia. “We’ve been talking that way through the Super Bowl. Now we have someone bold and confident. He just says it. I think we need that.”

Cousins says he looks forward to bringing the same fire to the Vikings.

“You know, always felt underrated, overlooked, go back and look at my story - there’s a fire there,” said Cousins. “It’s a balance, stay within myself. I think there’s a healthy passion and fire that brings out the best in me as a player.”

“He was a guy who always had to prove himself, a lot like most of our football teams,” said Vikings Head Coach Zimmer. “Guys come in, work hard. He’s always played with a chip on his shoulder.”

At last check, Cousins still had those “You like that” t-shirts for sale on his own merchandise website in Washington colors and the colors of his alma mater Michigan State University. No word on when he’ll add the purple and gold color scheme to his offerings.