Injured NFL star Kirk Cousins leads shirtless chant with son before Minnesota Vikings game

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins showed that he is on the comeback trail from his Achilles injury with a lively appearance before kick-off versus the Green Bay Packers

Injured Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins provided lively topless performance that thrilled fans prior to their pivotal clash against the Green Bay Packers.

Despite an Achilles injury, the 36-year-old star has stayed involved behind the scenes and showed he's on the mend with an energetic display before kick-off against the Green Bay Packers. After surgery following his injury in October, Cousins is currently on the rehabilitation trail.

Demonstrating how his recovery is coming along, he delighted Vikings fans on New Year's Eve at U.S. Bank Stadium by leading the team's pre-game chant with his son. The four-time Pro Bowl pick was seen greeting fans and removing his shirt, with his son Cooper following suit, both sporting gold chains.

This bling was a tribute to a viral video of him dancing on a plane with his teammates after beating his old team, the Washington Commanders, in 2022. He first wore this chain, which belongs to his mate Christian Darrisaw, when they were flying back from a game against the New Orleans Saints in London.

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Next, they blew the Gjallahorn - a traditional Nordic horn - to sound the start of a memorable moment in front of the adoring Minnesota faithful and then started singing 'Skol Vikings'. They also did a slow clap, which is a nod to the team's name and in keeping with Norse traditions and mythology.

But their lively pre-game antics didn't seem to work their magic during a night to otherwise forget for the Vikings, who ended 2023 with a 33-10 loss to the Packers. This big loss hurt their chances of getting into the playoffs, which stand at just three percent with one game remaining.

Speculation still abounds in relation to whether Cousins will stay with the Vikings next season, especially in the wake of his costly injury in Week 8. The experienced quarterback has a one-year contract worth $35million, which ends at the end of this current season.

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The former Washington star previously confessed that he was worried his top-level career might have ended after his Achilles injury in October. Speaking on Adam Schefter's podcast, he said: "One thought went through my head - will I ever play football again?"

"I'm an older guy, Achilles, I'm a free agent, is there a market? I didn't know. I believe I will and I believe it'll be there, but you wonder, and you did in that moment," he admitted before optimistically adding: "I do believe there's probably my best football still up ahead of me but I've gotta go prove that with the way I heal up and the way I play up ahead."

He also expressed his wish to stay with the Vikings next season, saying: "I would love to be back in Minnesota. Hopefully we can make that happen. Tends to be more of a February, March conversation. When we get to late February, the (NFL) Combine, March, try to see how 2024's going to shake out."

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