Greg Cook facts for kids
 |
|||||||
| No. 12 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | November 20, 1946 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
||||||
| Died: | January 27, 2012 (aged 65) Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Chillicothe | ||||||
| College: | Cincinnati | ||||||
| AFL draft: | 1969 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
|
|||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
|
|||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
|
|||||||
Gregory Lynn Cook (born November 20, 1946 – died January 27, 2012) was a talented American football quarterback. He played professionally for two seasons. First, he played in the American Football League (AFL). Later, he played in the National Football League (NFL).
Greg played college football at the University of Cincinnati. He was chosen as the 5th player overall in the 1969 NFL/AFL draft. Many thought he would become a huge star for the Cincinnati Bengals. Sadly, his career ended too soon because of ongoing shoulder problems. In 2007, NFL Films called him the greatest NFL "one-shot wonder." They meant he was one of the biggest "what-ifs" in the league's history.
Contents
Growing Up and College Years
Greg Cook spent most of his life in Chillicothe, Ohio. He was a great athlete in high school. He played baseball, basketball, and football at Chillicothe High School.
He continued to play football in college at Cincinnati. In one game, he threw for an amazing 554 yards! The Cincinnati Bengals chose him in the first round of the 1969 NFL/AFL Draft. The Bengals' coach and founder, Paul Brown, was very impressed by Greg. He saw Greg's amazing comeback in a college game. Cincinnati won 23–21 against Miami University. Coach Brown had left the game early when Miami was winning. But after seeing film of Greg's performance, he knew he wanted him. "That quarterback. That's our draft choice," Brown said.
Playing Professional Football
In 1969, the Bengals made Greg Cook their starting quarterback. He had an incredible start to the season. He led the Bengals to win their first three games. However, in the third game, something went wrong. Greg felt a "pop" in his right (throwing) shoulder. This happened after a tackle by linebacker Jim Lynch. He then missed the next three games.
At that time, doctors didn't have the best tools. So, his torn rotator cuff injury was not properly diagnosed. Despite this, Greg kept playing. He threw for 1,854 yards that season. He also led the Bengals to wins against the Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders. These were two of the best teams in the AFL. Greg set rookie records that still stand today. He averaged 9.411 yards per pass attempt. He also averaged 17.5 yards per completion. He was named the AFL Rookie of the Year.
Greg later remembered playing through the pain. "I took cortisone shots and played in pain," he said. "I felt obligated to finish the season."
The Shoulder Injury and Retirement
After the season, Greg's shoulder got worse. During surgery, doctors found a torn rotator cuff. They also found a partially detached biceps muscle. He had three operations, but they didn't fix the problem. Because of this, he had to retire from football. He tried to come back in 1973, but it didn't work. He then retired for good. The NFL Network called him the number one "One Shot Wonder" in NFL history. This means he showed amazing talent but couldn't play for long.
Some other quarterbacks had similar injuries. New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington had two torn rotator cuffs. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees also had rotator cuff surgery. Brees recovered and became an All-Pro quarterback. He even led the Saints to win Super Bowl XLIV.
Greg Cook finished his career with 1,865 passing yards. He threw 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Life After Football
After retiring from football, Greg Cook lived in Cincinnati. He worked for United Parcel Service (UPS). He also worked as a motivational speaker for labor unions. Greg had studied art at the University of Cincinnati. He continued to paint throughout his life. Some of his paintings were even shown at the Ohio Governor's Mansion. In the mid-1980s, Greg also did some commentary for University of Cincinnati football games.
His Passing
Greg Cook passed away on January 27, 2012. He had been admitted to The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. He died shortly after being admitted with pneumonia.
See also
- List of American Football League players
- List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders
- List of NCAA major college football yearly total offense leaders
