HOUSTON – As Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks spoke to the media near his locker on Thursday, one player was paying close attention and listening from afar.
He watched Cooks’ mannerisms and tone as he answered questions about his absences due to a wrist injury and his frustrations with Texans’ upper management’s inability to trade him before the Nov. 1 deadline.
Rookie running back Dameon Pierce took in the entire interview, and once it was his turn to speak, he made his feelings known about having his teammate back in the locker room as the Texans prepare to take on the New York Giants this Sunday.
“As far as B Cooks goes, his name up there (above his locker), he’s ready to play ball,” Pierce said to reporters as he pointed in the direction of Cooks’ locker. “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.”
Pierce, who is having a season that has him in contention for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, made it clear that the Texans’ locker room is a brotherhood. He reiterated that they had not abandoned Cooks during all the alleged turmoil that was going on in the media.
“As long as his mind is clear and he’s ready to go,” said Texans RB Dameon Pierce on teammate Brandin Cooks return to the lineup after he voiced his frustrations with the organization. “We all know in this locker room what kind of player he is.” #Sarge @TheTexansWire @IRep229 pic.twitter.com/eSXV0xQp5E
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) November 11, 2022
“All that outside media stuff, we don’t let that get to us,” said Pierce. “We know what he was going through. He’s battling injuries. He’s frustrated. He wants to play better and we want to be there for him. As long as his name is on that locker, we’re rocking and rolling with B Cooks.”
Earlier in the week, wide receiver Chris Moore was asked about the impact, and leadership Cooks brings to the wide receivers group.
“He’s our leader in our receiver room,” said Moore, who replaced Cooks in the lineup against the Philadelphia Eagles. “He’s very important. We love him. He’s a great player, a great leader; he’s a great man.”
“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.”
Cooks was also asked during his press conference how his teammates viewed his behavior before and after the trade deadline.
“There’s no bad blood there,” Cooks said emphatically to ensure the media knew how much he loves his teammates. “At the end of the day, we all go through this in some sort of way in our careers. They know I love them. That’s never been a question, and they know that for a fact.”
“At the end of the day, all of my teammates will tell you, I love them very much, and I care about them. They understand my situation. At the same time, I’m going to be there for them as best as I can. They understand that.”
