(SportsRadio 610) - For the first time in two weeks, Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks spoke with the media following Thursday's practice.
Prior to Thursday, Cooks had not been made available to the media in consecutive weeks.
After missing practice leading up to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, head coach Lovie Smith held him out of the game, per a team-wide understanding that if you don’t practice, you don’t play.
As the Nov. 1 trade deadline came and went without Cooks being dealt, the nine-year veteran took to Twitter, taking his frustrations out that way.
When asked about that particular tweet Thursday afternoon, Cooks said his emotions had just boiled over as team losses have continued to pile up.
“As far as elaborating on that, look, man, I'm human. I'm frustrated, absolutely. I want to win,” Cooks said. “That's not the case as to what's going on. That's the way I expressed my emotion. I think we all want to win. We're all frustrated in some sense. That's where I stand with that."
Texans receiver and seven-year pro Chris Moore said Wednesday that Cooks was welcomed back into the room with open arms as they understand the business side of the game.
“He’s our leader in our receiver room. It’s very important. We love him. He’s a great player, he’s a great leader, he’s a great man,” Moore said. “When all that stuff happened, we all know or at least most of us because we’ve all been here (in the NFL) a while, that’s just part of the business. You never know really what’s going to happen and either way we’re happy to have him back and see him in the building.”
That same sentiment of professionalism and understanding the business side of the NFL, has been the consensus thus far from Cooks’ teammates and coaches that have weighed in.
Rookie running back Dameon Pierce said Thursday that he and the rest of the team know what they’re getting as long as Cooks is in the building.
“As far as B Cooks goes, his name up there, he’s ready to play ball,” Pierce said. “He’s ready to go. I know 13 is ready to play. Whatever was going on whatever time he took away ‚mental health is the best health. As long as his mind is clear and he’s ready to go, we all know in this locker room what kind of player he is what kind of guy he is, what kind of juice he brings to this team and what his intentions are with us.”
However, while Cooks’ teammates may very well understand the business side of things, in that sometimes trades do happen.
This one didn’t.
And that, along with the reasoning he gave Thursday as to why his frustrations had hit a boiling point, has made each day more awkward than the last.
Considering that Cooks’ expectations in regards to where this team is right now, compared to where he thought they might be when he agreed to a two-year contract extension in April, have changed drastically.
“I mean at this pint in my career I'm not sure if you're calling this a rebuild,” Cooks said. “I think anyone later in their career wouldn't want to be part of a "rebuild." You work too hard, you want to win, all the work you put in obviously you understand organizations and they all go through that. At the end of the day, I want to win now. That's always been my thought process."
Six months ago, Cooks spoke about the relief he’d felt to put the contract talks behind him and seemed to encouraged about the direction general manager Nick Caserio and head coach Lovie Smith were taking the organization.
“It was huge, not just for my family and I, but believing in what this organization is trying to get done and what Nick and Coach Lovie are building,” Cooks said. “It’s definitely a blessing. I’m glad we can put that behind us and get back to work.”
Fast forward six months, the only thing that’s changed on the surface level is that Jack Easterby is no longer employed by the organization.
Cooks and Easterby had a close relationship, and by all indications still do.
Cooks indicated Thursday afternoon that he wasn’t sure what direction Caserio was taking the team, nor understood the idea of the type of culture management envisioned or if he was even a fit.
“I think that’s a question for coach Lovie and Nick where they want that to go,” Cooks said. “At the end of the day, how Nick sees fit and what he wants this culture to be, that’s a question for him. I don’t know what that looks like. I’m going to be the best I can for my teammates for the time being and everything else takes care of itself.”
Cooks’ frustrations likely stem from a number of issues, including the overall direction of the team, the losses and how hard he felt the Texans were working to find a contending team to trade him to.
If culture was one of the issues as well, Cooks has failed epically to help create a positive one by leaving his team hanging against the Eagles, who were already without their second best receiver, Nico Collins.
Instead, when things began to not work in his favor, whether that be the Texans parting ways with Jack Easterby, Pep Hamilton not tailoring the offense to him enough, Davis Mills struggles or Nick Caserio not getting a trade completed, he picked up his ball and went home.
After another change of direction, Cooks said Thursday, for the time being, he’s here now.
“Anytime I line up between those white lines, I'm going to give my best because at the end of the day when you go out there you can't think about it, Cooks said. “Things going on off the field is one thing. When I go out there, with my brothers, at the end of the day, I got to be there for them. The other stuff, is going to take care of itself."
Shaun Bijani has spent the last 16 years covering the Houston sports scene for SportsRadio 610. Follow him on Twitter @ShaunBijani.
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