Brandin Cooks Bio
Brandin Tawan Cooks is an American professional football wide receiver who currently plays for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). A first-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Cooks has built a reputation as a fast, reliable playmaker across multiple franchises. He is widely recognized by the nickname “the Archer,” a tribute to his signature bow-and-arrow celebration.
Cooks first gained national attention as a consensus All-American at Oregon State University, where he set Pac-12 records for receptions and receiving yards. Across his NFL career, he has suited up for the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans, and Dallas Cowboys, reaching two Super Bowls and surpassing 9,000 receiving yards.
Early Life and Background
Brandin Tawan Cooks was born on September 25, 1993, in Stockton, California. He is the son of Worth Cooks Sr. and Andrea (Glasper) Cooks. His father died of a heart attack when Brandin was six years old, and he and his three brothers, Fred, Worth Jr., and Andre, were raised by their mother. The challenges of his early years helped shape his discipline and work ethic on the field.
Cooks attended Lincoln High School in Stockton, where he starred for the Trojans. As a sophomore, he posted 29 receptions for 600 yards and seven touchdowns. He followed that with 46 receptions for 783 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior, while also collecting three interceptions on defense. As a senior, he produced 66 receptions for 1,125 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning a ranking as the 26th-best wide receiver in his class by Rivals.com. In addition to football, he competed in basketball and track and field.
Path to the NFL
Originally committed to UCLA, Cooks changed his plans and enrolled at Oregon State University, where he played for the Beavers from 2011 to 2013 under head coach Mike Riley. He made an immediate impact as a true freshman, recording 31 receptions for 391 yards and three touchdowns while contributing on kick returns. By his sophomore season, he had emerged as one of the most productive receivers in the Pac-12 Conference, forming a dynamic duo with Markus Wheaton.
Cooks saved his best for his junior year in 2013, finishing with 128 receptions for 1,730 yards and 16 touchdowns. His receiving yards led all of college football, and he set Pac-12 records in both receptions and yards. He won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver, was named a consensus All-American, and earned First-Team All-Pac-12 honors. On January 2, 2014, he announced he would forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft.
Brandin Cooks Career
Early Career (2014–2016): New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints selected Cooks with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft, trading up to secure him. He signed a four-year, $8.3 million contract and scored a touchdown in his NFL debut, becoming the youngest player to catch a touchdown pass in nearly two decades. A broken thumb cut his rookie season short after 10 games, but he still produced 53 receptions for 550 yards and three scores.
Cooks took over as the Saints’ top receiver in 2015, finishing the year with 84 receptions for 1,138 yards and nine touchdowns. In 2016, he posted 78 receptions for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns, capped by a 98-yard touchdown that set the franchise record for the longest play from scrimmage. Across three Saints seasons, he established himself as a deep threat and productive chain-mover.
New England Patriots (2017)
On March 10, 2017, the New England Patriots acquired Cooks in a trade with the Saints. He produced 65 receptions for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns while forming a 1,000-yard receiving duo with tight end Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots finished 13–3 and earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Cooks started every playoff game for New England, including a 100-yard performance in the AFC Championship win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. In Super Bowl LII against the Philadelphia Eagles, he left the game in the second quarter with a concussion after a hit by Malcolm Jenkins. The Patriots fell 41–33 in what was Cooks’ first Super Bowl appearance.
Los Angeles Rams (2018–2019)
Traded to the Los Angeles Rams in April 2018, Cooks signed a five-year, $81 million extension. In his first season with the Rams, he set a career high with 1,204 receiving yards on 80 receptions, eclipsing 1,000 yards for the third consecutive season with a third different team, an NFL first. He helped lead Los Angeles to Super Bowl LIII, where he caught eight passes for 120 yards in a 13–3 loss to the New England Patriots.
The 2019 season was disrupted by two concussions, limiting Cooks to 14 games and 583 receiving yards, his lowest output since his rookie year. The Rams finished 9–7 and missed the playoffs.
Houston Texans (2020–2022)
Acquired by the Houston Texans in April 2020, Cooks posted 81 receptions for 1,150 yards and six touchdowns in his first season. In 2021, he set a career high with 90 catches, adding 1,037 yards and six touchdowns, becoming the third player in franchise history with back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons. He signed a two-year, $39.6 million extension in 2022 before a calf injury cut into his playing time, finishing with 57 receptions for 699 yards and three touchdowns.
Dallas Cowboys (2023–2024)
The Dallas Cowboys acquired Cooks in March 2023 in a trade that tied the NFL record for most times traded. He battled injuries in both seasons but still produced 54 receptions for 657 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023. In 2024, he appeared in only 10 games, finishing with 26 receptions for 259 yards and three touchdowns.
Buffalo Bills (2025–Present)
On November 25, 2025, Cooks signed with the Buffalo Bills. In Week 17 against the Philadelphia Eagles, he recorded four receptions for 101 yards. He appeared in a Divisional Round game against the Denver Broncos, where a contested overtime play drew significant attention. Cooks finished the 2025 regular season with 24 receptions for 279 yards in 15 games split between the Saints and Bills.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cooks has long been valued for his elite speed, crisp route running, and ability to stretch the field vertically. Throughout his career, he has served as a reliable intermediate and deep target, and his durability in high-volume passing attacks has made him a trusted option for multiple quarterbacks and offensive systems.
Notable Events and Milestones
Cooks is one of only a handful of NFL players to record 1,000-yard receiving seasons with four different teams, joining Brandon Marshall in that select group. He is the highest-drafted wide receiver in Oregon State history and has reached two Super Bowls with two different franchises. His 98-yard touchdown for the Saints in 2016 remains a franchise record for the longest play from scrimmage.
Brandin Cooks Career Wins
Brandin Cooks has built one of the most consistent production profiles of any wide receiver of his era, surpassing 9,800 receiving yards and 60 receiving touchdowns across his NFL career. He has earned individual accolades at every level, including the Fred Biletnikoff Award and consensus All-American honors in college.
Professional Highlights
Cooks has posted five 1,000-yard NFL receiving seasons, reaching the mark with the Saints, Patriots, Rams, and Texans. He has scored 60 receiving touchdowns in addition to two rushing touchdowns and has been a playoff contributor for multiple franchises, including trips to Super Bowls LII and LIII.
Other Recognitions
Cooks won the 2013 Fred Biletnikoff Award, was named a consensus All-American, led the nation in receiving yards, and earned First-Team All-Pac-12 honors during his junior year at Oregon State.
Brandin Cooks Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cooks was raised primarily by his mother, Andrea (Glasper) Cooks, after the passing of his father, Worth Cooks Sr. He has three brothers, Fred, Worth Jr., and Andre. The loss of his father at a young age has often been cited as a motivating force in his career.
Personal Life
Cooks is a Christian and earned the nickname “the Archer” for his bow-and-arrow celebration, which references a Bible verse involving a boy named Ishmael. He married Briannon Lepman on July 7, 2018. In 2020, he donated $50,000 to establish the Stockton Children’s Fund, assisting local children impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he earned his Private Pilot License and Instrument Rating.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season saw Cooks return to the New Orleans Saints, the team that drafted him in 2014, on a two-year, $13 million contract. He was released on November 19 and quickly signed with the Buffalo Bills on November 25. Splitting the year between the two franchises, he posted 24 receptions for 279 yards in 15 games and five starts, providing veteran depth and special teams value.
Cooks’ most notable moment with the Bills came in the Divisional Round against the Denver Broncos, where a contested overtime ruling went against Buffalo and helped end their season. The play drew heavy scrutiny and commentary from head coach Sean McDermott. Despite the late-season transition, Cooks provided reliable veteran play and contributed to a Bills postseason run.
Heading into the next chapter of his career, Cooks remains under contract through the 2026 season. With a current deal running through 2027, he continues to serve as a respected presence in the locker room and a dependable target for the Bills’ passing game.
