Brandin Cooks NEW ORLEANS, LA – OCTOBER 26: Brandin Cooks #10 of the New Orleans Saints celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on October 26, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Brandin Cooks doesn’t have any intentions of stopping his bow and arrow celebration, despite his frustration with the NFL cracking down on similar gestures.

The New Orleans Saints receiver told NOLA.com that he still plans on mimicking the bow and arrow, despite the NFL fining Washington Redskins Josh Norman for the same thing two weeks ago. 

“I’m going to figure it out, but I’m not going to change it,” Cooks told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. “The league will have to deal with it. The reason for why I’m doing it and what’s behind why I’m doing it doesn’t have anything to do with violence.

“So I’m not going to change what I’m doing to satisfy what the league wants. That’s not what I’m here to do.”

[…]

Cooks said he doesn’t want the touchdown celebration to become anything to penalize the team during a gameday. But he added, “Well there are different forms of doing it. You just can’t shoot (the arrow). I’m still going to pull it out. Whatever happens after that happens. I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize my team, but I’ll figure something out.

“The Archer is still here.”

Cooks said the gesture isn’t to mock other teams, but to show his faith in God. He explained to the New Orleans Advocate the act honors Psalms 144:6: “Send forth lightning and scatter your enemy, and shoot your arrows and rout them.” Cooks said he doesn’t do it to condone violence.

Cooks is among the NFL’s best wideouts and the bow and arrow gesture should be marketed, not condemned. Penalizing him for what he claims is a gesture of faith would be a terrible look for the league, but they’ve stupidly fined players for more honorable tributes. However, considering Norman was fined, it would be an unfair precedent to allow Cooks to continue the action unpenalized while Norman was.

Regardless, the NFL continues its best to ensure it’s the No Fun League. Cooks celebration is harmless and at the very least, entertaining. Cooks understands the repercussions and simply doesn’t care. Good for him.

[NOLA.com]

About Liam McGuire

Social +Staff writer for The Comeback & Awful Announcing. Liammcguirejournalism@gmail.com