Brandin Cooks officially joined the San Francisco 49ers practice squad on Wednesday, a wild full-circle moment for a dude who grew up literally peeking through fences just to catch a glimpse of his childhood heroes. Talk about a “dream come true” moment, right? Cooks wasn’t just saying it either, he was rocking a black and red 49ers cap with a huge smile on his face, calling it a “special moment for my family and I.”
This isn’t just some feel-good story, though. This is a veteran wideout, 12 seasons deep in the NFL, nearly 10,000 receiving yards and 173 games under his belt, finally landing with the team he dreamed of. He used to ride his bike to the University of the Pacific in Stockton from 1998 to 2002, trying to catch training camp action. He never made it past the fence then, only watching from afar. Fast forward to now, and he’s not just past the fence, he’s in the locker room! Cooks, who turns 33 on Friday, has seen his receiving yards dip, with no season over 600 yards since 2023. For some, that’s a sign to hang ’em up, but Cooks wasn’t having it. He waited for “that right moment.”
And boy, did that moment come at a critical time for the 49ers! Their receiving corps is absolutely ravaged by the injury bug. We’re talking De’Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson, Christian Kirk, Ricky Pearsall , a whole laundry list of guys down. Robinson, in particular, just caught a high ankle sprain on Sunday against the Dolphins and is probably heading for injured reserve. This means Cooks, despite starting on the practice squad, has a legit shot to earn his way onto the active roster. When head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch FaceTimed him with their pitch, Cooks said it was “kind of a no-brainer.” He’s always thought the world of Shanahan’s “offensive mind” and his ability to “get guys open.” For Cooks, it’s about going “out here and show that I can still play at a high level.”
Shanahan himself has admired Cooks’ game for a decade, even noting the receiver has been in the league longer than he’s been a head coach. While Shanahan’s excited, he’s also keeping it real. Asked about a game timeline, he was straight up: “I have no idea. It’s only my first day seeing him, so I’m not sure. But we’re down guys, so as soon as he’s ready. We usually get five guys up for game day, so as soon as he can show he’s one of those five.” The 49ers’ receiver room is full of “moving parts” right now, and Cooks just might be the steady hand they need.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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