New San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandin Cooks has an unusually personal connection to his newest team.
Cooks’ Childhood Ties to the 49ers
Cooks, a Stockton, California native, signed to San Francisco’s practice squad Tuesday. It’s the seventh NFL team of his 12-year career, but easily the closest to home. He fondly recalled attending 49ers training camps as a kid when they were held at the University of the Pacific. “I used to ride my bike over that little overpass right there,” Cooks told ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. “I never actually went into practice, they had those little fences right there you could kind of peek through. Remember doing that as a kid, so I’m excited.”
Cooks was also asked whether he’d considered exercising some patience in choosing his next stop at this stage of his career. His answer suggested this particular opportunity was one he’d specifically been waiting on. “Kind of once camp got deep, I was like, ‘Okay, let the season start and then kind of go from there,'” Cooks told Wagoner. “And then obviously some opportunities are going to come up and the one that I was always hoping would come up, came up.”
Why the 49ers Needed the Help
The signing comes at a critical time for San Francisco’s receiver room. Demarcus Robinson suffered a high ankle sprain during the 49ers’ 35-13 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, becoming the latest wideout to go down this season. That group already included rookie De’Zhaun Stribling with an ankle injury, Christian Kirk with a calf issue, and Ricky Pearsall, who is out for the entire season with a knee injury.
Despite the mounting injuries, San Francisco’s passing attack has held up statistically, ranking 10th in the league with 492 receiving yards and tied for fifth with five receiving touchdowns.
Cooks Closing In On a Career Milestone
At 32 years old, Cooks sits just 189 yards away from reaching the 10,000-yard mark for his career. Doing so with his hometown team would add a fitting final chapter to what’s already been a lengthy and productive NFL journey.
49ers’ Brandin Cooks Makes Heartfelt Admission After Signing