Cowboys fans have become accustomed to seeing their playmakers break out some memorable touchdown celebrations in recent years. Dez Bryant loved to “throw up the X.” Terrell Owens spelled out “T.O” with his arms… when he wasn’t throwing buckets of popcorn into his facemask. And everyone from Ezekiel Elliott to Dak Prescott to the entire tight end group has looked forward to the occasional late-season celly using AT&T Stadium’s big red Salvation army buckets.
When tenth-year veteran Brandin Cooks finds paydirt this season, a new touchdown celebration is sure to catch on with Cowboys Nation and find its place within the franchise’s esteemed history books.
Every time Cooks hauls in a scoring pass, he pantomimes pulling an arrow out of a backpack quiver, nocking it, pulling back an imaginary bowstring, and letting his shot fly.
The six-time 1,000-yard receiver is nicknamed “The Archer.”
Sure, it looks cool in the moments after a score. But the 29-year-old says it has more meaning for him than just an intimidating get-pumped moment. Its origin can actually be found in the Bible.
“My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 144:6,” Cooks has said in interviews. “‘Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy. Shoot your arrows and rout them.'”
Cooks came into the league in 2014, just after The Hunger Games was at its peak in pop culture. Archery was suddenly experiencing a revival, especially among pre-teen girls, but Cooks was further inspired when he ran across that verse in his Bible.
‘It was one of those things that was like, ‘Oh, this is the perfect match, you know, for what I do,” he has said. “To be able to use another way to glorify God and thank Him for the gift that he’s given me to play this game.”
[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]
But the NFL didn’t necessarily always see it that way. During the 2016 season, the league cracked down on player celebrations that it said at the time, “mimics a violent act,” even fining Washington cornerback Josh Norman $10,000 for a similar bow-and-arrow celebration.
To avoid drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that would hurt his team, Cooks had to modify what had become his signature move. The league has since eased up on its strict over-enforcement of player celebrations, and “The Archer” continues to shoot his arrows on Sundays.
A 6x 1,000 yard receiver is headed to Dallas. đ¤@brandincooks âĄď¸ @dallascowboys pic.twitter.com/aZhHfKaMtr
— NFL (@NFL) March 19, 2023
And when Cooks lets loose his next shot, for what will be his 50th receiving touchdown as a pro, he’ll do it wearing the star.
“There’s so many ways to glorify Him, but the stage that we’re on, I always try to make it a unique way,” Cooks has said. “For me, it just gets me going, especially in the atmosphere like that, being around my opponents and those who are tying to stop us. Like the verse says, ‘Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy. Shoot your arrows and rout them.’ Being a receiver, you go out there and rout them boys up.”
That is right on target with what Cowboys fans want to hear from their newest weapon.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]
[mm-video type=video id=01h43zaxk2a2qhr9r02c playlist_id=01eqbwens7sctqdrqg player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01h43zaxk2a2qhr9r02c/01h43zaxk2a2qhr9r02c-845199b0a5574d54d64f9fb05935919c.jpg]
[lawrence-newsletter]