For Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, the offseason has been quite the grind, more than what he's used to, given his Achilles rehab process as well as joining a new squad.
Cousins has finished the team's offseason workout program, which means he has a few weeks to spend time on his own and with his family before the true grind of the NFL season begins with training camp at the end of July.
Where does Cousins go? Saugatuck, Michigan, is where he likes to spend summertime with his family, and the addition of a Manitou pontoon boat is definitely something he's looking forward to when it's time to relax before the season begins.
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"Where I’m from in West Michigan, there’s water everywhere. There’s the Great Lakes with Lake Michigan, there’s rivers, there’s inland lakes. So, growing up, we spent a lot of time here in the summer on water in boats, in pontoons," Cousins told Fox Business Digital after his offseason program came to an end in Atlanta.
"Hadn’t been a boat owner until now. We have a Manitou pontoon and really, really like the product. For a long time, I viewed pontoons as your grandpa’s boat, and I realized after test-driving a Manitou that I was mistaken. It can go over 40 mph, you can ski and tube behind it, but you also get all the benefits of why a pontoon is there. I love people, I’m an extrovert, so getting 10 people on a boat comfortably is the dream for me."
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Cousins’ mindset is one many others likely have when it comes to pontoon boats; they’re old school. But Manitou Pontoon Boats, as Cousins came to find out, has been an innovator in this industry, creating pontoon boats that not only perform well out on the water but provide the leisure and luxury aspects that the signal-caller loves for himself and his family.
From a state-of-the-art music system built in to the boat, as well as the Max Deck and Switchback loungers to create tons of space onboard, Cousins is using his Manitou pontoon boat to get the rest and relaxation he needs before the long campaign ahead.
"This summertime is all about recharging the batteries and preparing yourself for the grind of the football season," he explained. "You go right into it when this is over with training camp, two-a-days and into a 17-game regular season and hopefully playoffs and beyond. You need this time to really replenish, and I find that getting out on the water on a boat of my own now really makes a difference.
"Simply put, it’s an elevated experience. From the tech, the speakduring workouts at the team's training facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on May 14, 2024.ers, the Bluetooth with your phone – there’s just a lot of features from a tech standpoint that makes it an elevated experience."
Cousins is a husband and a father of two boys, making the weeks he can get away from football crucial to spend time with his loved ones. Getting them involved out on the water is something they’ve really enjoyed doing together.
"It’s great for our family," he said with a smile. "I want to find ways to spend quality time with my kids; it’s not on screen time. I think being out on a boat is a great thing for the four of us – my wife, my two boys and I – to do together. Just the quality of the boat, the excellence of the product and what we were looking for as a family was a great fit."
And as Cousins mentioned, he loves having others join him out on the water as well.
"I’m the cool dad with the boat for the whole neighborhood," he said, laughing. "I text my high school friends and say, ‘Hey, come on over because we got the boat now. Party’s over here.’ I wanted to raise my boys in a way where their friends want to be at our house. They want to be hanging out under our roof.
"Now, it’s not just under our roof, but the roof of the pontoon boat."
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