Greg Cook
Encyclopedia
Gregory Lynn Cook is a former American collegiate and Professional Football
quarterback
.
, where he excelled in baseball
, basketball
and football at Chillicothe High School.
He played collegiately at the University of Cincinnati
, once throwing for 554 yards in one game. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals
in the first round of the 1969 NFL Draft
after Bengals coach and founder Paul Brown
saw Cook's performance in the Bearcats' come-from-behind victory 23-21 victory against Miami University
in Bo Schembechler's
last game before he left to coach at the University of Michigan
. Brown had attended the game, but left when the Miami Redskins' lead reached 21-6. "That quarterback. That's our draft choice," said Brown after seeing film of Cook's rallying performance.
, the Bengals' starting signalcaller for much of the team's inaugural season, and named Cook as the Bengals' starting quarterback. His season started spectacularly, as he led the Bengals to a 3-0 record. However, in game three versus Kansas City, Cook felt a pop in his right (throwing) shoulder after being tackled and missed the next three games. Possibly due to the limited medical technology at the time, his rotator cuff
had been torn and went undiagnosed.
Despite this, Greg Cook went on to pass for 1,854 yards and led the Bengals to wins over the Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders
, two of the three best teams in the AFL. His 9.411 yards per pass attempt and 17.5 yard per completion are rookie records that still stand. Cook was UPI's choice for AFL Rookie of the year.
Recalls Cook: "I took cortisone
shots and played in pain, but the shoulder hadn't started to deteriorate yet, so I could still function. I still had the strength. I felt obligated to finish the season. I'd gotten off to a good start. I didn't want to relinquish that." http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/dr_z/news/2001/10/10/drz_insider/
The rotator cuff began deteriorating after the season; during surgery, it was revealed that Cook also had a partially detached biceps
muscle. After three operations proved futile, he retired. A 1973 comeback attempt failed and Cook retired permanently. Some football experts - including then Bengal's assistant coach Bill Walsh - say that had it not been for that injury, Cook might very well have gone on to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. The NFL Network
Top Ten series named Cook the #1 One Shot Wonder in NFL History.
Miami Dolphins
quarterback Chad Pennington
, who suffered two tears to his rotator cuff and has undergone as many surgeries to repair it, is often compared to Cook because their injuries are so similar; his injury is also similar to that suffered by New Orleans Saints
QB Drew Brees
, who had surgery on his rotator cuff in 2006 and finished the season as an All-Pro Quarterback.
and with Worksite Information Network as a motivational speaker
for labor unions
. He was an art major at the University of Cincinnati, and continues to paint. Cook has had works hung in the Ohio Governor's Mansion
. Cook is a part time radio personality at KILT (AM)
in Houston, Texas.
Professional football
In the United States and Canada, the term professional football includes the professional forms of American and Canadian gridiron football. In common usage, it refers to former and existing major football leagues in either country...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
.
Early career
Cook lived most of his life in Chillicothe, OhioChillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States.Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio and is located in southern Ohio along the Scioto River. The name comes from the Shawnee name Chalahgawtha, meaning "principal town", as it was a major settlement of...
, where he excelled in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and football at Chillicothe High School.
He played collegiately at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, once throwing for 554 yards in one game. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in the first round of the 1969 NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
after Bengals coach and founder Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
saw Cook's performance in the Bearcats' come-from-behind victory 23-21 victory against Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in Bo Schembechler's
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
last game before he left to coach at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. Brown had attended the game, but left when the Miami Redskins' lead reached 21-6. "That quarterback. That's our draft choice," said Brown after seeing film of Cook's rallying performance.
Professional Football career
In 1969, the Bengals released John StofaJohn Stofa
John Stofa son of the late John and Ann Stofa and a former American college and professional American football quarterback. He was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and graduated from Bishop McCort High School. He attended the University at Buffalo where he played as a member of the Buffalo Bulls...
, the Bengals' starting signalcaller for much of the team's inaugural season, and named Cook as the Bengals' starting quarterback. His season started spectacularly, as he led the Bengals to a 3-0 record. However, in game three versus Kansas City, Cook felt a pop in his right (throwing) shoulder after being tackled and missed the next three games. Possibly due to the limited medical technology at the time, his rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
had been torn and went undiagnosed.
Despite this, Greg Cook went on to pass for 1,854 yards and led the Bengals to wins over the Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, two of the three best teams in the AFL. His 9.411 yards per pass attempt and 17.5 yard per completion are rookie records that still stand. Cook was UPI's choice for AFL Rookie of the year.
Recalls Cook: "I took cortisone
Cortisone
Cortisone is a steroid hormone. It is one of the main hormones released by the adrenal gland in response to stress. In chemical structure, it is a corticosteroid closely related to corticosterone. It is used to treat a variety of ailments and can be administered intravenously, orally,...
shots and played in pain, but the shoulder hadn't started to deteriorate yet, so I could still function. I still had the strength. I felt obligated to finish the season. I'd gotten off to a good start. I didn't want to relinquish that." http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/dr_z/news/2001/10/10/drz_insider/
The rotator cuff began deteriorating after the season; during surgery, it was revealed that Cook also had a partially detached biceps
Biceps
Biceps may refer to:*Biceps brachii muscle, a muscle located on the inside of the upper arm*Biceps femoris muscle, one of the hamstring muscles of the back of each thigh*Biceps , a point in a metrical pattern...
muscle. After three operations proved futile, he retired. A 1973 comeback attempt failed and Cook retired permanently. Some football experts - including then Bengal's assistant coach Bill Walsh - say that had it not been for that injury, Cook might very well have gone on to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. The NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
Top Ten series named Cook the #1 One Shot Wonder in NFL History.
Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback Chad Pennington
Chad Pennington
James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...
, who suffered two tears to his rotator cuff and has undergone as many surgeries to repair it, is often compared to Cook because their injuries are so similar; his injury is also similar to that suffered by New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
QB Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
, who had surgery on his rotator cuff in 2006 and finished the season as an All-Pro Quarterback.
Life After Football
Since his retirement, Greg Cook, who still lives in Cincinnati, has worked with United Parcel ServiceUnited Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
and with Worksite Information Network as a motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
for labor unions
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
. He was an art major at the University of Cincinnati, and continues to paint. Cook has had works hung in the Ohio Governor's Mansion
Ohio Governor's Mansion
The Ohio Governor's Residence and Heritage Garden is the official residence of the Governor of Ohio. The residence was built during 1923–1925 by industrialist Malcolm D. Jeffrey and has served as the official home of the governor since 1957...
. Cook is a part time radio personality at KILT (AM)
KILT (AM)
KILT is a Sports/Talk formatted radio station in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by CBS Radio. KILT shares its call letters with sister station 100.3 FM, a country music station....
in Houston, Texas.