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Brandin Cooks
 

Brandin Cooks has had a nice start to his NFL career. In four seasons, he's played for Sean Payton and Bill Belichick and with Drew Brees and Tom Brady. This year, Cooks has found chemistry with Brady, as he is tied for fourth in the NFL with 786 receiving yards through 11 weeks. The 8-2 Patriots are well on their way to the postseason, which would be a first for Cooks, who spoke to ThePostGame on Tuesday from Reebok Headquarters in Canton, Massachusetts. Reebok, which sponsors Cooks, is partnering with tailor Huntsman & Sons to create a line of suits using Reebok's Flexweave material. Cooks discussed his fitting, what he has learned from Tom Brady and why he is a Portland Trail Blazers fan.

ThePostGame: First off, I need to know about the zoo last week because I think that's the most important thing going on with you right now. I need you to break down what a fambloski is, if I'm saying that correctly.
BRANDIN COOKS: Yeah, I had a little off time, so I wanted to hang out at the zoo. I love animals. I was trying to go out there and find a way to help them escape because I don't like them being caged up like that. On a serious note, "fambloski" is just a little joke I have going around the locker room. It's just family and bro combined. I guess we're just making up words nowadays.

TPG: In terms of Boston, are you getting more accustomed to the lifestyle? I know you've lived on the West Coast and in New Orleans. What's it been like living in the Northeast?
COOKS: I love it. I've loved the transition, it's been great, it's been easy. The place is special. The history of sports here is amazing. To be able to play here, in the greater New England area, has been great. I couldn't ask for more.

TPG: In terms of the weather, it's a little different. It's getting colder, Brandin.
COOKS: You know what? It's been an adjustment, coming from the West Coast, clearly you never get any snowstorms, although we haven't had one yet. It gets pretty cold and windy, but at the same time, everyone has to deal with it, so it's all about the mind and attitude, right?

TPG: You played in Mexico City last week. Had you spent any time in Mexico before that?
COOKS: No, that was my first time, and it was awesome to be able to bring the game of football to Mexico and play in front of those fans. You can see how passionate they are about sports. To be able to go out there and play in front of them was amazing.

TPG: Bill Belichick said after the game this week that no one works harder than Brandin Cooks. What does a statement like that mean, coming from Belichick, who's notorious for being hard on his players, to give you a compliment like that?
COOKS: We have a lot of hard-working guys. It's the atmosphere around me.  I can't answer that question because like I said, we have a lot of hard-working guys, so for him to say that is great and it makes me want to work even harder to be able keep that model up.

TPG: Obviously, there are similarities between the Saints and Patriots -- two old-school franchises with long-time coaches and long-time quarterbacks. But what's been the main difference playing in the Patriots organization compared to the Saints?
COOKS: I usually don't get into comparing, as far as the differences. That's a tough question. What I will say is that New Orleans is a great organization. Now being here in New England, this is a great organization and I'm just blessed to be able to play for an amazing head coach like Coach Belichick and an amazing owner like Mr. Kraft.

TPG: Were you nervous for that for that first practice with Tom Brady? Had you met him before or was that the first time?
COOKS: No, I wasn't nervous at all. I had met him two other times when we practiced against them when I was in New Orleans.

TPG: I mean he's a Cali guy.
COOKS: NorCal too.

TPG: So is Julian Edelman. I know Edelman isn't playing, but when you showed up, did you have that bond?
COOKS: Right off the bat, of course. We take pride in where we're from, so yeah.

TPG: You talk about everyone being hard working. Tom has that reputation. What have you learned from him, playing alongside him this year?
COOKS: Attention to detail, the little things have helped me. He's special in that aspect because he's always doing something little to be able to up his game. He does it every single day. His consistency is unmatched, that's for sure.

TPG: Do you watch him eat too? Do you pay attention to those details?
COOKS: I might as well live with him, right?

TPG: I mean, how does a guy like that play to age 40? Everyone says he keeps his body intact. What have you noticed about that, in terms of his health and how he keeps himself in shape?
COOKS: What he eats and what he fills his body with and how he works out. His body work and everything, there's a lot to it. I don't get to see everything. I get to see little pieces.


 

If you want to be a Lion surround yourself with one #patsnation #blessed #together

A post shared by Brandin Cooks (@thearcher14) on

TPG: You're a NorCal guy, and you're a Trail Blazers fan. How did you become a Blazers fan? And second, are you tight with Damian Lillard?

COOKS: Well, I live in Oregon during the offseason. I went to Oregon State. I ended up making the Blazers my NBA team because I live there in the offseason. As far as being tight with Damian Lillard, no, I haven't really been able to spend time with him like that yet.

TPG: Is he a guy you'd like to meet?
COOKS: I respect his game. If we meet, that'd be great.

TPG: You're working with Reebok and Huntsman. What's exactly going on with you?
COOKS: I'm at the Reebok headquarters now. Today, we just had our second fitting of this amazing flexweave suit that they're planning to make for me. I met Campbell Carey, the head cutter for Huntsman. We're just here hanging out and figuring out how to make this suit work.

TPG: What has that been like working with Reebok and Huntsman, especially Reebok, a brand that you've joined forces with this year? It's kind of establishing a bit of a revival, especially in football. J.J. Watt is involved. What's that been like?
COOKS: It's been awesome. To be able to join a brand like this has been special. I'm thankful that they reached out to m, in order to do something like this. In terms of the suit, I guess we're taking the material that was initially for shoes and now we're making it into a suit, so it's been great.

TPG: What's the suit looking like? Does it speak to your personality?  What suits are you working with?
COOKS: I'm looking at it as we speak. Initially looking at it, I might have to conform to the pattern, but in a good way. It's something unique that I've never worn before, or seen before. When I put it on, I definitely felt a lot better having it on than when I first actually just looked at it when it was sitting on the table.

Reebok, Huntsman, Brandin Cooks

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