His career was cut short by a shoulder injury. Terry McCormick
Former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Greg Cook, whose NFL career was cut short by injury, died Thursday at age 65.
Cook was the Bengals' first-round pick out of the University of Cincinnati and immediately became a star in the league, completing 106 of 197 passes and drew praise for his strong arm. However, a shoulder injury suffered in his rookie season of 1969 cut short his career and required several surgeries. It was the type of injury that had it occurred now probably could have been fixed with one surgery, but the medical profession was not as advance in such surgeries then. After his rookie year, Cook appeared in just one more game in 1973 before retiring in 1974.
“Greg was the single most talented player we’ve ever had with the Bengals,” said Bengals president Mike Brown in a statement. “His career was tragically short due to the injury. Had he been able to stay healthy, I believe he would have been the player of his era in the NFL. Greg was a personal friend to me. He was a good person whose company I enjoyed over all his years as a player and after that. I feel a great loss at his passing.”
Cook died of pneumonia, but had had health problems in recent years.
Mike Brown's father Paul Brown drafted Cook from nearby University of Cincinnati and said upon selecting him in the first round, “We believe this young man is the best quarterback prospect in the country.”
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Terry McCormick covers the Titans for TitanInsider.com
I think Paul Brown drafted him because he was already in town and he didn’t have to spend money on airfare to fly him into Cincinnati! lol
I saw him play my college, Dayton, in 1968. He was a really great QB. Also remember that rookie year and injury and thought "what a waste."
In todays world he would be Matt Stafford...he had it all...one of the best arms I ever saw
he was going to be Marino ten years early
Everything about the medical aspects of the game back then just suck..ruined his life and many others
Jan 27, 2012
01:44 PM
Bill Walsh said that Greg Cook was "the most talented" quarterback he ever coached. Would agree, perhaps, had his playing happened in my viewing years. Though for me that player remains Joe Montana at quarterback. As for the most talented player, of the ones I viewed Walsh coaching, Ronnie Lott dominated the defensive backfield to a measure that meets or surpasses Walsh's all time wideout Jerry Rice.