Brandin Cooks shows leadership with message to Cowboys following loss

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks urges teammates to "stay even keel" and "trust the process" following a loss to the Saints.

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

In the wake of a tough loss to the Saints at home, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks preached a message of resilience and focus as the team prepares to face the formidable Baltimore Ravens defense that ranks at the top against the run.

Cooks emphasized the importance of adapting to the "unscouted looks" that often arise in early-season matchups.

"It's September football," Cooks told DallasCowboys.com. "It's about how fast you can get back to your fundamentals, trusting the process we built in camp."

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The veteran receiver acknowledged the sting of defeat but urged his teammates to avoid overreacting.

"Yeah, we lost, but getting back to work is what it's really about," Cooks stated. "Don't panic. If you really say you trust your process, then trust the foundation and the culture that you built. Come back here, do and be who you are."

Cooks stressed the need for heightened intensity following a loss, while also cautioning against drastic changes.

Sep 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks (3) runs to the locker room during the third quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

"It should be a little more intense because you come off a loss, but don't try to start making stuff up," he advised. "Just get back to the drawing board and do what you do best, and go out there the next game and give it your all."

Above all, Cooks emphasized the importance of maintaining emotional balance throughout the season's inevitable highs and lows.

"I think the biggest thing is always staying even keel throughout the season, win or lose," he said. "At the end of the day, tune out the noise. You win one week and you're the greatest, and when you don't, well, we all know. So really sticking to the task at hand and staying even keel no matter what's going on, because it's a long season."

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Cooks concluded with a warning against getting caught up in the emotional rollercoaster of the NFL season.

"If you go with the ups and downs, all you're doing is just going to exhaust yourself mentally," he cautioned.

With a challenging matchup against the Ravens looming, Cooks' message of resilience and focus serves as a timely reminder for the Cowboys to stay grounded and trust in the process they've established.

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