BRANDIN COOKS

We got another California guy, year old from Stockton, California, all American from Oregon State, UH wide receiver, good friend, Manu the arrow himself right, always running past people running around him. Brandon Cooks, welcome to the cut to a podcast. How you doing that? I appreciate you having me you know a lot of respective Yeah, I appreciate you. Guys, have no problem, bro, it's a pleasure. This is Gerard's doings. G the co host. And then you got backstage Joe.

But man, I'm gonna go ahead and just get right into it because nobody knows this. So a couple of years ago, k' well, here's it's been like eight years ago. So by eight years ago had had a group of wide receivers. Uh in in town, and and it was all working out, getting ready. I was getting ready for my I think my second to the last season season, the second of last season. And so we're going and uh Cooks is with me. Man he come in town.

Let me tell you so this dude is so O c D. When I say O c D, he I mean walked through your stuff like this dude. He first, he getting the car, he crossing and taking the Lord. He put the seatbelt on, He thinking the Lord. Man hold on. He gets to the stoplight, he taking the Lord. He's looking right, he's looking like you can never put you on the anointing. Now, yes you can, at yes you can. I started worrying. It wasn't my driving. Are you I finally said something, probably about after the twentie

of time, I said, are you okay? No, man, I'm good. I just you know, just gotta be thankful. I'm thankful too. But at some point you gotta keep your eyes on the road. I started like speeding, slowing down, stopping and see, look, is he gonna do it? He ain't remember. After this day I knew he was looking to me. I gotta keep on going. I knew. At some point he was like, man, you all right, what what to walk us through that? I mean, just just give us. I can't remember what

you said. It threw me off, so I was kind of letting you live. But you know, now I don't have to go ahead. I gotta I gotta be honest with y'all. Think it was just a little bit too much to l c D. Because I dialed back on that a little bit, you know what I mean, even me. My wife started to kiss me and she was like, all right, now you all right? Really you know what I mean. I take a look in the mirror, like, man, am I good? Like I don't remember doing it this much?

You know what I mean? Uh, but I dialed back. I dialed back, So what do you what do you think? What do you think that comes from? Like I would say truthfully, that probably anxiety. You need to be honest with you. I felt like, you know, those those early years, I was dealing with a lot of anxiety because I started to look back to myself like, man, and I were going to stay. I'm in high school. I wasn't doing all that, you know what I mean. I was still taking care of business just because I get to

the league, you know what makes that change? And I just I think the anxiety, uh, you know, start to build as a young guy, and then I have to you know, like I said doll back, you know when when you got people around you, like you know, noticing now you start to question like, okay, what really is going on? Um? And uh you know how to rate

a conscious effort on you know, dowaling that back. So I would really say it was probably of the anxiety to be honestly, I mean, use your first you know, your first round draft pick, you go to New Orleans, you're catching a thousand footballs. You know, you're playing in the offense, You're playing with Drew Brees, You're playing in the offense that is not short of yardage, right, and yet on an outside, on the outside looking in, everything

looks great that you're telling me, on the inside you're struggling. Yea. Is it pretty much every single day? You know, yeah, early on, Yeah, because you just felt that. I just I wouldn't necessarily call it pressure. I think it's just the one to be perfect, you know what I mean, and you know do something you know, you think like that's never been done. But then again, when you think that way, as you know, you play this game for so many years, you're never gonna be perfect, you know

what I mean. And the better that you can play relax, the better off you will be. But I thought opposite, you know, I thought to myself, well, you know, the more tense I am, the more locked in I am, the better off I be. And I think that's the kind of creative the anxiety. Uh you know, early on, Yeah, what if, what if anything have you put in place to try to circumvent that whenever you feel it like bubbling up or if you feel like, you know, I'm

gonna take myself back down that place? What if you put in place within yourself too, Because it sounds like you're you're a little bit more removed from it. Oh no, yeah, I'm saying I'm far removed from a lot of that. And I think, just really, uh, you know, I listening to my wife, Uh you know, I'm really valuing her feedback. Once again, you earlier on, you're like, yeah, I hear you and all, but you don't understand it. Back the end of the day, they, as we all know, they're

looking out the best, you know, our best interest. Um, so you know, she has stepping stone in that aspect. But even when I'm out there by myself, I just remind myself, like, man, I've been doing this for a minute. I'm a dog. Uh there, you don't need to create that extra uh you know, internal pressure you know we're doing. And I really started to uh hone in on that and truly believe it. So what did what did your

wife say to you? That really started started to hit home because you know, sometimes we around people that surround us a lot, and there are habits that she just you know, they're just saying that we start to have selected hearing where we start to um, you know, kind of dismiss uh people who are around us a lot their input, especially evaluating ourselves. Yeah, the biggest thing stick with me today. It was like, you know, it's just a couple of words. You're like, man, you you're changing,

like you ain't the same. And then when when she said that, I'm like, what you know what I mean? What you mean? She goes, just you just ain't the same. You ain't free no more, you know what I mean, You're not You're not you're not moving around like you know who you are anymore. You. You kind of you know, you confuse and you know in that conversation, you know, it's different between like hey you all right, blah blah blah.

But once you you know, you you hit words like that, You're like, all right, now, this person with me every day and if they can see a change, Uh, you know that that means something like you're just putting too much on yourself. You ain't playing the same, you ain't coming home for practice the same. Uh. You know. Granted, you know we've been together since college, so she can

truly say that, you know what I mean. She could say how I was coming home from practice back then versus uh, you know when I got in the league, and and that kind of hit home with me. Uh do you think some of I mean, you've been on you've been traded at three three times now, yea, you've been traded three times. How has that experience maybe played into that? Take us down each one? Not without I

want you to be your authentic self. I don't necessarily want you to, you know, if someone here is just that, oh he threw such and such under the ye but but being but it's also what you've experienced, right, you experience what you experience, yea, but being traded three times and you you weren't traded because you can't play. Yeah, I think you know, that's a great question, because through some of those trades early on, I started to notice some of that was coming back, you know what I mean.

I get traded from New Orleans, UM to New England, and I'm like at that point, I'm like, all right, well, look, you know, I'm going for a first round going to a contending team like that one didn't really you know, hit me that much, just because that's earlier on the career. But the one from New England to the Rams, you know hit me because, like you know, we get to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, you know, uh, you know, I get hit and I get concussed, I get knocked out

the Super Bowl. So I'm like, man, I'm just I was just your leading receiver, you know what i mean, first year being able to pick that offense up. I'm thinking to myself, at least I'm gonna fish my fifth year option, uh and get a chance at this again. You know, clearly that didn't happen. And so when I got traded to l A, I'm like, well, damn, I mean I just produce. Now, I get it. You know, they do things their way. They don't you know, pay guys markets. So I look at that and I said, okay,

I understand that. So I'm at l A and I'm picking it up, and once again, we go to the super Bowl and uh, you know this is the one where really hit me. That super Bowl. You know, I feel like I didn't performed to my best um and out here again. Next year, I had another chance at it, and I feel like, in my opinion, I failed again. And going into that off season, bro, I was just

I'm like, damn, what well, I can't get over this hump. Like, yeah, I'm producing throughout the season, but you know, the biggest stage that you want to play on, I didn't. I didn't make it happen. And I remember that year, you know, uh, targets was getting you know, taking away. So then I'm really in my head. Yeah, that year I think I had,

uh two was the two to three concussions. And you know, I go see a specialist and they go, look, ain't nothing wrong with struct structurally is And this is without him even ask me any questions. You know, he did some tests like, man, your anxiety is through the roof, and I'm like, I'm thinking aboutself. Yeah, yeah, he ain't lying because that that O c D is starting to come back. I'm talking about pregame. Um I'm doing you know,

I'm hitting across this too many times. Uh. Like I was in the car back then, and one thing he said to me, like, well, people don't understand anxiety portion, you know what I mean. It's like you red line and already, so any little thing that that could take you over that red line is very minimal. You know. Most people start out here, you you can get some hits and then all of a sudden that you have the red line. But for me, I'm near already. And

so he're like, look, I'm not worried about you. If you can get this downpack, you know, could everybody start questioning, like, you know, because should you keep going? And when he told me that, I took that as a challengs like, you know what, I let this game too much to be away from it this soon, I'm gonna get this fixed. So I start seeing the mental coade. So hold on,

we're gonna go there. But let's go backwards. Your anxiety was so high that it was it was starting to infiltrate your whole body and your mind to the point of where and I say this tongue in cheek, but basically, somebody just breathes on you and it would and your body literally was responding, just ready to shut down. You're ready to shut down. So you were having not just you weren't having a concussion where your brain was hitting against you, having full yeah, yeah, yep, yeah, yeah, yep.

And and at first I'm like man, but then I like, man, he got a point though, because I'm like, you know, it'll be some games I'm fine, some games I'm good, and in some games I'm just you know, I'm tricky, and I'm an say I'm ready to go because in my mind, like, all right, I gotta make up for these last you know, a couple of Super Bowl performances, and as you know now looking back at it, you can't make up with it and make it up in one game, or you can't make up you know, you

can't really make it up, you know what I'm saying. And as a receiver, you know, we depend on so many factors that to be successful, and so here I am putting that pressure on me and at the end of the day, I can control some of it, but most of it. I can't control play calling, I can't control with the quarterback throw. I can't control on any of those things. And uh, I have to really really see that for what it was, your face looking yourself

in the mirror. Yep, you've seen a specialist, You've talked you've talked to boss Hog. The wife, you know, she's she's been around you, she knows exactly who you are.

She you are known to her. And then now you just have to sit and you're left with not just professional decisions, but personal decisions that affects your your your profession that you're trying to control football which you have no control over, and the person and the things that the person you can't control as yourself, which which takes some time. So then after that, how do you harness and control and also let go of all these things that you're balancing that you have put you have um

artificially and really tangible realistically put on your shoulders. Yeah, that's a great question. I think just over the years, uh, it's been a little bit by a little bit because I think the biggest thing I was face was like Okay, if I continue to go down this road, I don't get to play this game that that I love. Right, So at that point you're thinking, well, I'm willing to

do whatever I can fix that. And then you look at your family and and then you know, when she gets you know, boss Hall, like you said, give me the green light, I'm like, okay, I can't let her down. And when you have your first child, you think this, Okay, I'm too young to be not to be away from this game. So now I gotta think to myself what I what am I gonna do to be able to see to be able to let him see me play

this game for a while. So it really just came down to a personal decision and seeing mental coaches and trying to just get rid of some of those things that I was, uh, you know facing, And every single year has been better. First of all, how long have you been How long have you been sent a mental coach? I would say going over three years. Ever since my last year in that l as I was getting traded to Houston, is when I started that process. That to my year with three years? And how did how did

you go about that process? And was it was it easy. Was it difficult? Was it? Were you nervous? Um? Yeah, you know. At first I had a lot of pride, you know that go and then but I had to tell myself, you know, getting rid of that pride is gonna help me. And so I would say it was tough at first. Then went through an interview process, interviewing different people, you know, talking to guys who may have had one. Typically seems like the quarterbacks usually have one.

So you know, I hit whether it's X quarterbacks or other quarterbacks around the league that I got respect for, found their guy, interviewed them, and then came down to a decision on what was best for me in the interview process. What were some of the questions or how did you come up with the questions? And I wouldn't know, I personally, I wouldn't know what what to ask a guy. Then I say I didn't I didn't know at all.

All I knew was I was having anxiety problems and I'll just let them speak and you know, and and listen to them. And it was more so a listening process because I had no clue with the ask had no clue you know what I mean, I had nobody really lean on, um, you know, for questions to ask. You're known as a person who has a huge amount of faith, whether it's your your bow and arrow, you've mentioned your the crosses that you do. How did that

come into play? And even on a practical level, because even when some people say faith, it's like this kind of whimsical kind of punt. But what what did that look like on a day to day basis with you know, I see, and that was a part that Um, you know, I look at myself as like I still held onto that, but it was clearly I wasn't trusting. I wasn't trusting.

I would let me interject and let me say, from sitting on the outside in that's a fantastic question, and I would say, knowing him zero faith, I respect because and the reason why it is because if you if you're a believer, you can't be asking God every single

stoplight to save me. Well, he gave you a driver's license, it ain't like you ain't got But I'm just saying it because I'm saying it in defense but also in a great conversation because you know, um, I've been the last I'm reading every month, I'm reading this new book.

And one of these books they talked. They talked about when the game is called uh, when the game is over, and they put it back in the box, right, and it talks about um in your in your career, you have to whether you like it or not, you will be cheating something like if you if you are working a hundred percent of the time, that means you're cheating. Yeah. Yeah, but it says you're cheating your kids from having their daddy. Right, you're cheating if if you if you at the house

and you're not at work like you're supposed to be. Yes, no, no, but you're cheating. So that and so this book is basically saying you're gonna cheat something. Something is going to like you said, fall by the way, So you can't you can't, But but you also can't give your time and your talents to every single thing you do. It's not enough hours in the days. And so by saying by by saying that, I realized you have to you

have to. You have to literally say if I choose to be one of the best friends, that I can be that to one person. That means a few other people. Yeah, I'm I'm still in that time from them right to give to that you know quotes that best friend. And so I'm taking this is it if you are trying to be picture perfect and everything you do on a football field, and you are having anxiety walking across the street, you praying you don't choke Paul's on this hot dog

you're about to eat. Literally to everything you do, you are worried that the worst thing can happen you. And as a believer, you cannot say you have faith because your prayers are showing that you don't have faith in the Lord at anything, because you're scared of everything. See that means that you you are not walking in faith,

You're you're actually praying in fear. And go ahead. I just that's just something that like I just kind to knowing you and going back like when I was we were with each other for three weeks, you know, he was like four or five days, bro, he had me shook. Yeah, yeah no, But and then double back on that. That's the truth. It's like, you know, it's like he talked about you, you can't have two items. You can't serve God and money, right, And and I'm saying money on

situation because that's what they're saying in the Bible. But at that time, I was serving uh perfection, Uh my game. I was that. That's what I was putting my hope in, um you know most of the time, because I was so I was so hungry, you know, so ansty to be able to make up for something. Yeah, I am here, you know, going back into the Bookie Rey. Here, I'm

gonna cheat my time, my quiet time. Why because as soon as I get up, I want to go straight to work because I think to myself, well, if I go do this, I'm gonna make up for If I do this, I'm care for. If I do this, when it gets to it, I'm gonna make up for it. So here I am forgetting about really the most important thing that got me to the position I'm in. And you know, so it goes back to that book. You're talking about you cheating something, and at that same at

that time, I was cheating my faith. You know. Yeah, I'm still reading y'all, still praying. But what you know, what was there? You know what was I praying for and why was I praying? You know, clearly talk about do not have anxiety cash and anxiety on him because you care well clearly I wasn't casting on him because I was holding it all myself. And but you know, and that's real, and that's just being just being straightforward.

I love cut to It, and I love it even more when you download us and subscribe and you can follow us on social media too, Smithie where where at that at? Cut to It? On Instagram? What about twitter? At? Cut to It? Facebook? Cut to It featuring Steve smith Senr. What about online? And you can follow us that cut to It podcast dot com where you can buy merch and you can subscribe to us wherever you listen to podcasts. I got all my answers, questions. Uh, I got all

my questions answered. That's what I'm here for. A brother cut to a podcast dot com like you know also too, it's like, you know, I got I just finished this other book and it talks you about um it's like, uh, God and money and and it's talking about and then other ones, you know, keep the game and they bound

the Brothers and all these different books. And one of the things that I really found it interesting is that we will hear a story of John who will say I walked in a hundred degree weather, I walked ten miles because I ran out of gas and then he walked ten miles came back. Yeah, he sweated, and then he re filled his car for the gas. But I noticed in these books at times it doesn't tell a

full story of what happened in those ten miles. Doesn't say that how John made almost passed out to that John also um had a pair of shoes that all of a sudden it got so hot that the sole of his shoes started to melt, or that it also started to rain halfway through because he was living in Florida, and uh, a shower came through, and then a truck came by and it was and it was a puddle

and it splashed on them. Like they're not telling and I'm not saying they're not telling a full story, but sometimes we hear the glorified glory Christian stories but leaves out some of the small details of what that person in, you know, Like I think the Bible does a great job with David talks about what he went through, how many years he stayed in jail, not just when he became king and he saw his family right, or just

what he was feeling. Yes, yes, question, Yeah, you know I think a lot of times having this conversation about faith. It's not always honky doors. No, No, sometimes it is I don't have enough, like like Brendan just said, I wasn't casting it or I didn't even have it to give. And it can be a way, it can be up and down meter it doesn't have to be a blanket. Yes. Yeah, And I just and and I have a good enough relationship with him because when I was hurt, he was

playing and I'm over here. He's like, hey, big bro, whatever you see hit me up And went to a point where I like, I'm tired of bugging this dude. And he was probably like, man, I know I need to get it fixed where it was literally because I was hurt. So all I was doing was watching a whole bunch of I had, like a hit I gotta I said, hitless ID like a hit list. All the receiver's talking about. I know you're sitting around, so let

me know. And I'm like, bro, we on all of this stuff, and you're getting the game, and you you you're looking at like Brendan Cook and I'm hitting him. I'm hitting him. I'm hitting him and um and yeah, he's saying something, but then what I'm not. It goes back to I'm not, you know, trusting anything. At that point he's like, yeah, I hear you. So at that point I was just I was just basically, you know, wasting my breath and then making him waste his sign

texting me. And I felt bad because I ain't got nothing but time on my hands, right I'm over here watching him and and and that. And that's why I said. That's why I said a little bit out of respect, but also just calling what it is, because I'm a believer and I have faith, but there's days where I have fear, and I gotta be I have to be big enough to say, am I operating out of fear? Or my operating out of a process and the procedure

giving it to God? Waiting on it? You know sometimes you know I've heard at times, you know, you say, man, I'm praying and I'm waiting for an answer, And then you know that story there's a flood. Guy comes with a donkey. Now I'm waiting on the Lord. Then the water gets a little higher. He on the second floor. Then he comes with a boat, and man, you need a ride. Now I'm waiting on the Lord. You know, then God gonna save me. God got me. Then a dude he on the top of the roof with a helicopter.

Ain't it all? The Lord will provide? Yeah? Man drowns goes to heaven, go hey, God, why are you I sent you the boat, the helicopter. How many other signs shall I send you? Yes? Right? And the biggest thing I remember hearing one time was if you're in a car praying, don't close your eyes. God does not allow you to pray and speak to Him and unplug your brain. And someone told me this, and I was like, what

do you mean? He says, would you drive through a would you drive through a green or red light and pray to God something bad doesn't happen. I'll go, that's a great question. Why can't you? But it was more of sometimes we literally take blind faith as let me drive through this red light, closed eyes and praying God got me. No, that's not high work. But but you gotta. But if you're not careful, do that, Yeah, because the

fear is greater. Show through this process, you interview some you interview some mental coaches, and what what is it like? What do you go through take us through that process of realizing after you've picked picked the guy or girl, what did it do for you? I think the biggest thing is really uh so one of the big processes like his brain training, you know what I mean, long story short, what it is called neuropeak, and you know, you just hook a lead up to you know, to

your head and it's connected to your phone. But you're watching this video and if you you know, if you've got too much brain waves going, the video actually stop

and go dark. So it basically it helps you consciously, you know, realize and get you know what that feeling is when you when your anxiety is starting to get up there, and so just through the time, you know what I mean, I'm like, Okay, now I know what that feeling is, because sometimes when you're sow in it, you don't know and then you look back, oh that's what it was. But when you ended, you you don't

realize that. And so that kind of helps you realize when that's coming on and you know, just breath work, you know what I mean, Uh, you know those type of things. And I truthfully felt like that it's helping because I've been blessed three years not one concussion since. Uh, you know l A and you know, so people ask me do it work? Well, you know, I've been three years with it free. When there's been two years back to back, I had two years, I mean two each year.

So you know, the proof is in the putting. And you know what, it worked for me and may not work for somebody else, but I can tell you what it's worked for me. So how are you just feeling today? And I'm feeling good, it's feeling good. Why why are you feeling good? I mean I just think I got I just kind of went through We just go back to what we were talking about with stories like, Okay,

how did I get to this point? I feel good today because of everything that I battle through, Um, you know, and being at that being at that low moment, those low moments, and realize what I felt like then and how I'm feeling out. It's like, it took a lot for me to get here. Took years. I mean it's going on my ninth year. You know, you can you can pay you cly say. It took me seven seven years,

six seven years to get to this point. Uh, just going out there being able to play free, you know, and I truly I feel like I've been playing free again. You know, not as if I had a camera and I followed you around for a week. You ain't seeing it no more? What what what? What cooks am I getting in the day? Just just comparing the difference though, I mean, you're you're married man, married man, got a son, your father father, Uh, just you know, goofy cooks. You know,

just goofy, you know, just schoofy cooks. So you know, so with every show, but then hold on, let me take it back now when it comes to the ground. None of these test was taken out away from me because I know that wasn't hurting me, you know what I mean. It was the thought of like, okay, I have to do this, this, this and now. At that those moments, I was organized, Yeah I was. I working hard, Yeah I was. You know it's like I'm running my head into a wall, but don't know the reason now, No,

I'm still running. Got a purpose behind it though I'm organized. I wake up in the morning and things are organizing, and I'm trusting my process and uh, because that's one thing that's not gonna be taken away because I don't care what you know, mental coach said test say, at the end of the day, you gotta work. But it's what is your you know, what is your reason behind the work? Is you're working just the work or you

got a purpose behind me? So you you said your dad? Now, yeah, man, you lost your dad when you were young, you know, below eight, you know, six years old, below ten years old being a father, but also a young man and that lost his father, you know, being so young. You don't really have that memory, right, a solid memory of of of of your dad. How has has not having your dad around because his passing, Yeah, I just had

affected you as a father today. Yeah, I'll be honest, He's been one of the hardest things, uh, you know in my life. Not because it's because I I don't have no example, you know what I mean, or no example at home that I have, right, you know, I got family, friends and stuff, but it just ain't the same, you know what I mean. You can get all the advice in the world, but you know, I don't have an example. So in my eyes, it's just like, Okay, this is trow and error, you know what I mean.

I know, if I love this kid to the best of my ability and my mind, he's gonna You're gonna turn out okay, you know what I mean. But that's where it goes back to our faith, you know what I'm saying. And that's where I would say, no, it's true faith to that aspect because I raised my hands and I say sometimes to my white man, I don't know, I realized it's okay not to know, you know what I mean. You know, I'm four deep and I still

sometimes I'll be on that trawl in there. So it's it's it's hard, but at the same time it's it's it's a beautiful thing because it's like and the have and so you know what I mean, it's okay sometimes not to not to know. Um And and so from an everyday aspect, you know, every once in around you

sit there this necklace. You know, he talked a little bit now, so he'd be like, he'd like dad that that like, no, it's pop, it's like and so from no, and you're getting moments like that, like man, that's tough, you know what I mean, because you don't have that side. You don't have that side moving forward, then how do you I don't have that, but how do you instill your grand your son's grandfather. The biggest thing I remember a boy my dad, uh which not much is uh

the time that he spent with us. It didn't matter what was going on, he was gonna make sure he spent his time with us. And just just his hustle. He Those are the two things that I can remember. Now I'm gonna start a hustle legally. I mean, I'm gonna start that legally. And the thing I always remember, even passing at such a young age, one thing I remember was he spent every time he got a chance to spend time with us. He spent time with us when nothing nothing else more important. You know, if it

wasn't worked, he was with us. And so those are two things that I know I can take with me from a positive standpoint and installed my son love good, do good. Let's getting down to do it good. Hey Gerard, why did you get that T shirt? You mean this thing? Oh yes, I got it from cut to a podcast dot com where we have exclusive merchandise. Shout out to

our guys at seven or four shot. But yeah, you can go on, buy you a T shirt, subscribe to us wherever you listen to podcasts how have you handled now? You know, how are you handling this sudden change? You?

Sudden changes hit you in the face like no other no other guy, right, sudden change for you and the NFL has almost hit you like a practice squad player, where you know every couple of years you're somewhere new you've experienced that, but as your first round draft pick and producing it, getting contracts and so you know obviously that sudden change is something that you've had to adapt and it hasn't been It hasn't been always easy. No,

early on the sun changes were easy. But now just I'm at the point like, look, you know what I mean. I basically know who I am and I know what I bring to the table. You know what I mean, And you know, instead of thinking like man, why the didn't want me, it's like, well, if you don't want me, that that's your loss. That's the different mindset that you know for the first couple of trades. That's different from

l A to Houston. It's like, well, I know what I bring to the table, and if you don't want me, then that you know, that's your loss. But does it still give you a chip on your shoulder? Absolutely? Absolutely absolutely. So. Now with all of that, what's your what's your outlook on this upcoming season? Yeah, I mean just you know,

go out there and shock people. But I think it's a daily process, you know, being there this O t a s. One thing I was excited about was things is actually organized like a team to be you know what I mean. I'm just being real. He's organized. Love, you got a lot of respect for him. You know, he's coaching this game and um as we all know, you know, make no promises, but you know, I just feel like my look is more of a positive I look versus you know other times. Honestly, where are you

at right now? I just left? Oh you was out here? Yeah? Yeah, it's nice. You're not trying to be in Houston too hot? Huh uh, I'll be I'll go the last two weeks before camp just to get used to the immenity again. But this this is my area right here there. In off season I get to get away. So just so Origans where you call them home? Now? Yeah, you say you know who you are? Yeah? Who is Brandon Cooks? Then? So, long story short, I'll take you back a little bit.

I was reading this book, probably started three years ago. It's my nugget. Probably you can we read it within ten minutes. It's uh. It's uh the Self Forgetfulness by

Timothy Keller. And one thing you talked about the in the uh and it's going back to my faith that goes you know, before Jesus did any sort of miracle when he was born, God said, this is my son going on with please right, And this is before he did any miracle any before he healed the blind, before he was the lame anything, And so that stuck with me.

I keep that. I keep that with me are because no matter what's going on, I'm somebody that's walking around with that guy as well pleased with before I scored any touchdowns, before I did any of those things, before I made it to the league, he was well the well pleased with me? Why because I was walking in faith? Right, I was walking and my actions and my words were matching up. Was there gaffing there where that wasn't matching up? Yep?

Absolutely absolutely? Was he still well pleased with me? Uh? You know the way I look at it, No, but you know most people would say, you know, yeah he was. But I think that's also taken the easy way out. But these last three years, that's that's where what I've been feeling well, regardless of what's going on. Uh, you know, he's well pleased with me because of the walk that i'm that I'm walking. But I don't say that to

be soft though. You know some people take some people take that and be like, well, now I ain't gonna do nothing, you know what I mean. No, that's not what I'm saying. Your faith has to go as actions, right. It can't just be saying you know, you walk by faith, uh and and and nothing else. No, you gotta actually walk with it. And so yeah, I'm still working up Brian, and I'm still I still have a chip on my shoulder, absolutely, But regard to what happened, Uh, you know, I'm someone

that that he's well pleased with. And if he's well pleased with, and my family is you know what, that's what I care about because I'm somebody's hero at the point, it's it's my son, you know what I mean, my brothers and uh, you know that's enough for me. It's enough for me. What's up? I like that I'm how much longer do you want to keep playing? I'm so I'm at now, I'm just gonna go four team for sure.

Excuse me, Sorry, I didn't nickel for the insult if I'm going four team buddy, But no, I've been I don't mean to get uh too personal. But you know, Stevie, like I was a guy, I was a kid that really I didn't look up to people. Um, you know what I mean. But one thing, like I always told you know what I told you, It's like I don't know it was. It was something that was drawnky I got. I had a lot. I'll still do a lot of

respect for you. The way that you played the game and I looked up to you and and obviously I know how long you played the game for it, and you know a little bit about your story and so you know you you've inspired me. Um. You know from the moment that I stepped into the league, and you still do. Um. I watched your highlights, you know what I'm saying, And any time anybody asked me like Okay, what is more receiver that you looked up to in this game? And anytime you can go back to interviews,

always Steve Smith. So I also appreciate that, you know what I mean, The way that you went about your business in this game in adversity, that you battle do not just in this game, but in life. Uh you know what I mean. You also inspired me as well. So I can't see here and act like that ain't the truth. Well, I appreciate it. Um. Surprisingly, you were my first interview at NFL Network. I remember, I was, I was so nervous, never got a full circle moment.

I was, I was, I was extremely nervous. Um, My producer, Trent wanted me to this is the story we talked about. Wouldn't take my hat off. He wanted me to take my hat off, and I'm like, uh, I'll take him my hat off. And so I had an opportunity to interview you, and I had like all these questions that had been nothing to do with for the ball and like I'm asking that, like, well we'll let him ask what what are you talking about it? And I was doing a football sit down and I didn't want to

talk no football. I just wanted to know. I want to know Brandon Cooks the player. And then after that, but before that, you know, when I was in Baltimore, he came, he came out. I had some guys Baltimore, some guys in uh in Charlotte and we worked out. They worked out with my trainer and Cook stayed at the house and it was grind. Yeah. Yeah, them boys was hurt hurts yea. He was doing two of that a little bit. We well, Moss was out there. Moss's son,

Thaddius was out there here in Charlotte. Yeah. Yeah, Josh remember that because I met you. I met him once before when he was in Charlota. Had the same time. Yeah, Josh Gordon, Josh Gordon was out there. Man. It was it was it was a it was a good group and it was an opportunity to see like guys, you always asked me like you know what, you know, let's let's work out. I want to do your stuff, every

single one of them boys. After the work I was like, man, I'm not working out with Steve no more because it was all the stuff that we needed to do. But man, again, I've always respected your game. Um, I know how hard it is to play this game, and I know it's even harder when you care. Like there's a lot of players that don't care. They're just in it for the money. And you can get you can get money in this game and kind of just cruised through life. But he'll

catch up with you. And you you haven't been one of those guys. You've always tried to you you worked your butt off and you're trying to figure out how and what and why. And you've you've enjoyed and learned and been taught through your own journey and you're you're

coming out now. You know you're you're the Caliphillar and now you're that butterfly right And it's awesome, man, it's it's it's awesome to talk to you on this side of football now in the media, but it's also awesome to see right every every guy that I've interact with, I try to say this, anybody gets football when my watching ball. I want to make sure that I can say I knew that man, yea, and your wise man,

I appreciate that. I I can't be proud of you because I had nothing to do with it, but I'm at I'm at all of which you will overcome physically but more mentally. Yeah, that's awesome. So you learn how to play some golf and because it'll comes from learning to fly right now, So I right now, why man,

I don't. It's it's peaceful, it gives you. And then being here in Oregon, we got so many beautiful places around this instead of having to drive three or five hours, being able to fly thirty minutes is it's sound a whole lot better that wind though, was the wind? Did the wind aggressive? But this is the one I'm training in. Is you got a parachuteing, so you know, excuse me, o case you gotta dip out on that thing, just

just in case, just in case. Every person who who's board that parachute correctly is walked away and had dinner that night. So what about the people who didn't. And that's a different story. Well it's a possible telling me it's a chance. Different story. Hey, hey, let me tell you something, man, I'd rather work trying to get around the offense alive and get a sack trying to get I'll stay. Yeah, I can drive that. I was about to say, I was about to say trail way about

like now I ain't getting no sack on now. Well, man, we appreciate it, bro man, just awesome. Um. I love seeing your love doing, seeing what you're doing, and you know, obviously you're in Houston, where and that's interesting. But you know you your persevering, You're still putting them numbers man, and a lot of people can't say that. Yep, No, I appreciate. It's always good seeing you. You are a unique person, you are well worth it, you are competent,

and most of all, your lovable. I'm Steve Smith Singior, I'm Gerald Little John and this is cut to It. Cut to It with Steve Smith Senior. That is Me is a production of Cut to It LLC, Baltold Creative Media, The Black Effect and I Heart Radio. For more podcast from I Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows

from A to It. Executive producer Steve Smith, Singer, co host Gerard Little John, talent in booking manager Joe Fusci, social media teamer Wesley Robinson, and John Show from Balto Creative Media. Cut Too It is produced by Brian Baltaschevic and Meredith Carter, with production assistance by Alex Lebrec. Production Coordinator Taylor Robinson. Theme music by Alex Johnson, Lyrics and vocals by Anthony Hamilton. You ain't heard am about it, then we're about to let you know it's all