Mizzou Receiver Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery

Eli Drinkwitz confirmed Tuesday the fifth-year wide receiver underwent surgery.

Dec 23, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Mookie Cooper (5) reacts after a play against the Missouri Tigers in the third quarter in the 2022 Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Missouri Tigers wide receiver Mookie Cooper underwent surgery Tuesday morning for a xx injury, head coach Eli Drinkwitz announced in a press conference Tuesday.

"Mookie's a very special player top us and myself," Drinkwitz said. "Got a ton of respect to Mookie for the way he goes about his business."

Cooper is now the second offensive starter for Missouri to suffer a season-ending injury, with center Connor Tollison suffering a season-ending leg injury in the Tigers' win over Oklahoma in Week 11.

The fifth-year receiver missed each of Missouri's past four games with the injury, last playing Oct. 19 in the Tigers' win against Auburn.

This makes Cooper's last catch of his four-year career with Missouri a 78-yard reception in the team's win over Auburn. The completion, which included 57 yards after the catch from Cooper, set Missouri up for its first touchdown of a comeback to overcome a 17-6 deficit in the fourth quarter.

"He's been nothing short of unbelievable as a teammate, as a player," quarterback Brady Cook said of Cooper. "He's so consistent, he's the same guy everyday."

In Cooper's absence, sophomore Joshua Manning has earned a larger role behind Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr. Manning took 62% of all offensive snaps in the Tigers' win over Mississippi State in Week 13. He's caught 12 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown on the season.

After transferring from Ohio State ahead of the 2021 season, Cooper caught 91 passes for 1,174 yards and one touchdown in his time with Missouri.

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