Kirk Cousins was a fourth round pick of the Washington Redskins in 2012. He spent six years in D.C., starting three of them. After being tagged twice by Washington, Cousins left town for Minnesota. He agreed to a three-year, $84 million contract with the Vikings in 2018.

Cousins’ deal was fully guaranteed. The Vikings, who were coming off an NFC Championship Game appearance, figured to be a quarterback away from being a Super Bowl contender. Heading into 2020, they are just that. Cousins led the Vikings to a playoff victory in New Orleans last season. Following the season, Minnesota gave their quarterback a two-year, $66 million extension.

Since entering the league, Cousins has been one of the most criticized quarterbacks in the league. This intensified once he was given a huge contract. The fact remains that Cousins has put up the best numbers of his career while in Minnesota. He started 15 games in 2019 and led the team to a 10-5 record. At 32-years old, Cousins is playing the best football of his career.

The upcoming season will be his third with the Vikings and it could be his best. Minnesota is set to be a contender in the NFC. If Cousins play like an MVP caliber quarterback, the team will be ready to contend for a Super Bowl.

Here are three reasons Cousins could be an MVP candidate in 2020.