Vikings' Kirk Cousins loses sponsorship with hometown hospital over vaccine stance

A day after quarterback Kirk Cousins returned from a five-day quarantine and refused to discuss his vaccination status, his hometown hospital in Holland, Mich., released a statement saying Cousins will no longer be a spokesperson "for now."

Cousins was isolated, per NFL protocols, because he was an unvaccinated close contact to quarterback Kellen Mond, who tested positive for COVID-19 last weekend.

"While we acknowledge that each person is entitle to their own viewpoints, those who speak on our behalf must support messages that align with the hospital's position on matters of vital importance to the individual and community health," the hospital's statement read. "For this reason, Holland Hospital will discontinue using Kirk Cousins as our spokesperson for now. We are proud of our association with Kirk. He embodies many values we respect and share as part of our work culture. However, we must be certain that our communications about COVID vaccination are consistent and unequivocal."

Holland Hospital spokesperson Jennifer Schmitt reiterated that Cousins' sponsorship with the hospital could resume in the future if his stance on the vaccine aligns with the hospital's mission.

Cousins responded to questions about his vaccination status by calling it "a very private health matter for me." The Vikings have the league's lowest vaccination rate among players, a league source has confirmed, which includes at least three unvaccinated quarterbacks as of last week.