Kirk Cousins was injured cannot play the game 

Just a few hours before 2023 officially ended, the NFL provided fans with one of the calendar year’s best moments.

Ahead of the Vikings vs. Packers game on “Sunday Night Football,” Kirk Cousins led the Minnesota crowd in the ritualistic pregame “Skol” chant.

Cousins led the crowd in the chant as his “Kirko Chainz” alter ego. Translation: he performed the act while shirtless and wearing a thick, gold-colored chain, as captured by the NBC broadcast.

The NBC announcers were amused by the display. Play-by-play man Mike Tirico reference the quarterback’s notable catchphrase while asking Cris Collinsworth about the sequence.

“You like that?” Tirico said with a smirk.

Naturally, the Vikings fans did, in fact, “like that.” They were fired up seeing Cousins — and his young son — get them amped up for the game, the team’s eighth since the quarterback suffered a season-ending injury.

For those wondering why Cousins isn’t on the field for the Vikings, it’s because of his injury. The 35-year-old suffered a season-ending torn Achilles in the Vikings’ Week 8 win over the Packers.

Cousins had been enjoying one of his best-ever seasons before being hurt against Green Bay. He completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 2,331 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions and was in the process of leading Minnesota back from a 0-3 start to level at 4-4.

Unfortunately, the Achilles tear brought his season to a halt. And since he departed from the lineup, the Vikings have cycled through three more starting quarterbacks.

Jaren Hall was given the first crack at replacing Cousins, but he suffered a concussion just one quarter into his debut. Trade acquisition Josh Dobbs replaced him and led the Vikings to a couple of wins before fizzling out. Veteran Nick Mullens then got a chance to replace Dobbs but struggled with turnovers before being benched in favor of Hall.

The Vikings clearly miss Cousins on the field. Their passers have combined to complete 65.8 percent of their passes for 1,793 yards, nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions in Cousins’ stead.

Perhaps Cousins’ presence and energy in leading the Skol chant will help energize Hall in a do-or-die game against the Packers in Week 17.

But as it stands, the Vikings are facing an uphill battle as they look to claw their way back into the wild-card race.