Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has been one of the most prominent faces of the College Football Playoff despite graduating from Michigan State nearly 15 years ago.
Cousins, 37, is front and center in Great Clips’ new ad campaign that has been running frequently during games, which earned him a slight ribbing from his wife, Julie.
“My wife said, ‘Boy, your face is all over this College Football Playoff,’” Kirk said with a laugh, who exclusively spoke to Luxury Handbag Shopping on behalf of Great Clips.
Kirk and Julie have been married since June 2014 and share sons Cooper, 8, and Turner, 6.
The Great Clips partnership was inspired by Kirk’s actual affinity for the brand, which was highlighted during season 2 of Netflix’s Quarterback, which premiered in July 2025.
During filming of the docuseries, Kirk said producers asked him, “What are the things you do on a monthly basis?”
“I said, ‘Well, I always go to Great Clips once every three or four weeks,” Kirk explained. “And whenever I do, I come in the quarterbacks’ room the next day and they’re kind of surprised that I go to Great Clips. I don’t have some high-end salon person that comes to my house or something. I said, ‘No, Great Clips is all I need.’”
Kirk added, “One thing led to the next and now I’m all over your College Football Playoff.”
Former NFL quarterback and Bachelor Nation host Jesse Palmer also stars in the ad campaign, who was already a familiar face to Kirk as a part-time viewer of his reality TV franchise.
“I’ll tune in more for the cringe factor,” Kirk said. “But I get almost too uncomfortable and have to change the channel. If I’m watching, it’s more about the shock factor.”
As for Julie, Kirk gushed about her ability to weather the ups and downs of life as the wife of an NFL quarterback.
“She handles it like a champ,” Kirk said. “She’s right there with me every step of the way. She really enjoys being a part of pro football, having a team to get behind, to follow, to support. I enjoy being able to have the family be a part of it. The Falcons do a great job of allowing your family to be around and to be part of the experience.”
He added, “Now we’re just looking forward to an offseason where Dad kind of reenters the family. Football is so dominant during the season. I’m gone every weekend and they only see Dad at night. So now I’m going to be around a lot more.”
Uncertainty looms over Kirk’s future in Atlanta, as starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. prepares to return from a season-ending partially torn ACL.
Kirk started the Falcons’ final seven games of the season in Penix’s absence.
“I’ve learned that usually when I make plans, God laughs,” Kirk said. “I try to keep an open mind. I try to understand that whatever I think is going to happen is probably the wrong answer. I’m aware that I still love the game of football and would love to still be around it in some capacity long-term.”
In the meantime, Kirk and Great Clips have announced the return of its nationwide $9.99 haircut coupon for the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship. To claim one, fans can visit www.GreatClips.com/Football through January 16, 2026. Fans can then go to a local participating Great Clips salon across the United States to redeem the coupon for a great haircut through Friday, January 23.
