Football

Patriots' Brandin Cooks says faith in Christ is the biggest thing in his life

By Jason Romano Jan 29, 2018
Patriots Brandin Cooks (14) celebrates with Tom Brady after a touchdown in a 2017 game. (Photo Courtesy: Brandin Cooks/Instagram @thearcher14)

Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks is preparing for his first Super Bowl appearance on Sunday. In 2017, Cooks was one of Tom Brady’s favorite targets, catching 65 passes for 1,082 yards and 7 touchdowns. He was acquired by New England in a March 2017 trade with New Orleans, where Brandin spent his first 3 NFL seasons catching passes from Drew Brees.

When Cooks scores a touchdown, as he did 7 times this season, he reaches back behind him to pull out two arrows. In August at training camp, he was asked about his celebration and the meaning behind the arrows. “It comes from Psalms 144:6: ‘Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy; shoot your arrows and rout them,'” Cooks told the Boston Herald “It’s just one of those things that my faith is the biggest part of my life and I feel like the reason why I am where I am today with the gifts that I have.”

Cooks’ celebration in 2016 with the Saints featured him pulling out the arrows and then pretending to shoot them out.

This season, his TD celebrations haven’t featured the motion of shooting the arrow, but instead, he pulls the arrows out of each side and then slams his hands to the ground. Cooks says any touchdown celebration he has as an NFL player is to point people back to the Lord.

“It’s just another way to be able to glorify God rather than just pointing to the sky [after a touchdown]. Just bringing a unique way, so my hope is when fans see me, they see God in me. That’s the biggest part of it all. If anything, I’m shooting it at God. It’s my way of thanking him and bringing a little twist to it.”

Cooks and the Patriots will look to repeat as NFL champions for the first time since New England last did it in 2004, when they face the Eagles on Sunday at Super Bowl LII.

Related Links:
– Patriots Nate Solder leaning on Christ despite son’s rare cancer diagnosis

– Patriots’ Devin McCourty relies on Jesus to help lead his family 

– Football Sunday 2018: Seek, Surrender, Serve

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