Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins has voiced his frustration over the repeated contact with his throwing arm during training camp practices, emphasizing the importance of protecting this critical area.
Cousins, who wears a red jersey to signify he is off-limits for contact, has seen the rule violated multiple times, including a notable incident with teammate Maxx Crosby that led to a practice suspension for both players. A similar situation occurred during a joint practice with the Houston Texans, where Cousins reacted angrily after being hit around his throwing arm by a Texans defender.
"You can touch me anywhere you want, just don’t touch my arm," Cousins said. "You want to bump me in the ribs. I think if anything, you know, hit me in the hips or the ribs is actually good because it simulates what I need to feel."
He explained that the elbow and shoulders are particularly vulnerable to sprains, and injuries in these areas can derail a season. Cousins believes that the protective intent of the red jersey is undermined when the rule is not consistently observed by opponents during practice sessions.
"I might as well just take the red jersey off," Cousins stated. "Because you’re playing with sometimes an understood rule that if it’s not understood, then what are we doing?"
Cousins' stance highlights the delicate balance in practice between simulating game-like intensity and ensuring player safety, particularly for the quarterback's throwing arm. The quarterback indicated that while contact to the ribs or hips is acceptable and even beneficial for simulating game conditions, any contact with the throwing arm is unacceptable.