Brandin Cooks Isn't Concerned With Celebrations
BOSTON (CBS) -- Brandin Cooks had to be careful with his bow-and-arrow touchdown celebration after the league cracked down last season. But now that the league is pulling back the reins, he's happy to be able to celebrate as he pleases.
But he's not about to put the celebration ahead of the touchdown, either.
Speaking to reporters for the first time on Thursday at Gillette Stadium during Patriots OTAs, Cooks sounded like he's already completely bought in to the Patriots system and is simply doing what's best for the team. He reportedly appeared to pull an imaginary arrow out of the quiver after scoring a touchdown in drills, but didn't shoot it.
Still, that doesn't mean he won't shoot the "arrow" if he can get away with it - because he never meant it as one of the league's forbidden "violent acts," he does it for religious reasons.
"Well, [the arrow] is for God, so if that's threatening, I think we've got a problem," Cooks quipped.
Cooks tweeted the hashtag "#shootyourarrows" over and over in the wake of the news that the NFL was relaxing its rules on celebrations. The celebration is obviously important to him, but not so important that he would do it at the expense of hurting the Patriots.
"I'm going to be respectful," said Cooks. "If it's a penalty, it's a penalty. I'm not going to do anything to hurt the team.
"I think it still will be [a penalty], but if coach tells me otherwise I'm not focused on that. At the end of the day, getting in the end zone is all that matters."
Given a chance to make strong statements about the Patriots offense potentially being unstoppable with Cooks, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, and the rest of Tom Brady's weapons, Cooks balked at that as well.
"I haven't thought that far down the line. I don't think about that," said Cook. "But like I said, [I'm] just practicing on what I have to practice on and [with] everyone doing their job and coming together, I think we'll be alright."
Regardless of how he celebrates when he scores, Cooks sounds like he's ready to do his job.
