Brandin Cooks is Texans new face of the franchise

The Houston Texans have a new face of the franchise

Countless defeated Houston Texans fans have hung up their jerseys in the previous years. With the unexpected departure of DeAndre Hopkins and J.J. Watt, many reached their breaking point. In 20 years we have seen several generational players come and go, leaving fans with dashed hopes and unmet expectations.

Though the Texans fielded a ragtag — but scrappy — roster in 2021, they still managed to pull out four wins. Now with the departure of former head coach David Culley, fans fully embraced the rebuild process. As in years past, fans likely expected any of the Texans’ top talent to hit the revolving doors of NRG Stadium and look for greener pastures.

Brandin Cooks has flown under the radar of praiseworthy NFL wide receiver talent for the past half-decade.

According to The Game Day NFL, only one other NFL receiver has more 1,000-yard seasons than Cooks since 2015. Many of the NFL’s elite (and maybe not-so-elite) receivers signed monstrous deals over the offseason, with Davante Adams signing for nearly 150 million dollars with the Las Vegas Raiders.

No one in the city of Houston would have blamed Cooks for hitting the road, but to the surprise of many, Cooks inked a two-year extension with the team. Not only did the Texans get the deal of the offseason in a bloated wide receiver market, but they also got their new “face of the franchise.”

Per Yahoo! Sports, Cooks said concerning his extension: 

"“It was huge, not just for my family and I, but believing in what this organization is trying to get done and what Nick (Caserio) and Coach Lovie (Smith) are building.”"

Since signing his extension with the Texans, videos have emerged of Cooks throughout the building, meeting with coaches, greeting rookies, and speaking well of the organization. He was even spotted at the Texans voluntary OTAs this offseason.

During an interview posted by Sports Radio 610 following OTAs, Cooks was asked why he thinks it’s important for an established veteran to be present at an optional team activity. His response?

"“To lead… when I can be here, I am going to be here.”"

For the first time in what seems a long time, the Texans not only have a player that they believe in, but a player that believes in them. Houston is ready to embrace the Cooks era as he is now the “face of the franchise” in Houston.