Saddled with a new, British-influenced haircut and a greater appreciation of the NFL fan base across the pond, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins visited London this week to continue his role as an unofficial ambassador for the league by promoting the sport.
He kicked off his visit with a trip to the Aston Martin headquarters – a place that most assuredly does not sell conversion vans – and then headed over to The Mermaid to attempt to break the Guinness World Record for most behind the back catches in one minute with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry.
Cousins had already accomplished the feat previously with Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown – the duo racked up 27 – last offseason in San Francisco, but attempted to break it. They ended up tying, which Cousins is unfortunately a little too familiar with from his time in London.
He and Landry, along with MMQB editor Peter King, answered questions and gave more insight into the sport, helping to promote the slate of games scheduled to play this season.
Aside from playing in the International Series game against the Bengals, Cousins made two similar trips last year to prepare for the team's trip. By now, he's become a fan favorite and a natural at these types of speaking engagements.
After the end of the game last season, Cousins was impressed with the London crowd.
"It was a phenomenal experience," he said. "That stadium is incredible. The atmosphere is incredible. Every seat appeared to be filled. The fans were engaged. It was electric. It did feel like a normal NFL game but maybe even more electric in the sense that it felt like such a unique atmosphere."
Cousins notably spoke with doctors in the weeks prior to the game to prepare for the time zone change in London in order to get the best sleep possible, wearing sunglasses to help him adjust at night.
"I worked with a neuropsychologist, Dr. Royer, who worked me through how to study the sleep patterns and make sure I was ready to go," Cousins reflected after the game. "I think physically my body was ready and mentally my body was ready to go through the game today and I was pleased with the preparation and the fact that it worked out."
It's unclear whether he prepared in a similar way for this event, but with a Guinness World Record on the line, it's certainly possible.
