Kirk Cousins angry with Texans: ‘I might as well take red jersey off’

HOUSTON — The red jersey might scream “hands off,” but Kirk Cousins has a surprisingly liberal policy about how much contact he’ll tolerate in practice.

Hit him in the ribs. Bang him in the hips. Bump him around enough to make playing quarterback feel reasonably authentic.

Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins works out during a joint practice with the Texans on Tuesday in Houston. AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Just stay the hell away from his throwing arm.

It’s a simple rule. And, frustratingly for Cousins, one that has been violated multiple times during Raiders training camp.

The most memorable instance involved some not-so-friendly fire from Maxx Crosby. After Crosby made contact with Cousins, the quarterback took exception, the two Raiders leaders exchanged shoves and angry words, and both were ultimately banned from the team’s next practice.

A version of that scene played out again Tuesday during the Raiders’ joint practice with the Texans.

After a couple of Houston defenders made contact with Cousins’ throwing arm, he immediately went into attack mode, barking at the Texans in a tirade that echoed across Houston’s practice facility.

The reaction might have seemed excessive from a distance.

To Cousins, it was about protecting the most important piece of equipment the Raiders have entrusted to him.

Unlike actual games, when quarterbacks are fair game, they are essentially off-limits during practice. Even the joint practice variety. That’s the entire point of the red jerseys they wear.

It will never make quarterbacks completely foolproof. This is football, after all, and asking 250-pound men to fly around at full speed before suddenly remembering the quarterback is wearing the equivalent of a DO NOT TOUCH sign isn’t exactly a perfect science.

Cousins told Texans defenders to stay off his throwing arm. Getty Images

Cousins understands that.

He just draws the line at his throwing arm.

“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.”

But that’s where the invitation ends.

“‘The elbow and the shoulders are where I could sprain something pretty easily,” Cousins said. “So, if you could just help me, I’ve got some scars from some hits in real games where helmets go into armpits and things, and it ruins your season.”

That was the message Cousins delivered to the Texans on Tuesday.

Albeit at a considerably higher volume.

“I was just asking them to just stay off the arm and had to remind the Texans as well. You can hit me anywhere you want,” Cousins said.

In Cousins’ mind, there is also a larger point. The red jersey only works if everyone agrees on what it means. Otherwise, there isn’t much sense wearing it.

“I might as well just take the red jersey off,” Cousins said. “Because you’re playing with sometimes an understood rule that if it’s not understood, then what are we doing?”

For Cousins, the understanding couldn’t be much simpler.

Ribs? Fine.

Hips? Have at it.

Throwing arm?

Consider it protected property.