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Home > Blogs > Cincinnati Bengals > Archives > 2012 > January > 27 > Entry
Former Bengals QB Cook dead at 65
Former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Greg Cook, who was born in Dayton, died Thursday night in Cincinnati after an illness, according to a release issued by the team Friday, Jan. 27.
Cook was one of the brightest prospects in Bengals history, but he saw significant playing time only as a rookie in 1969. His career was derailed by a shoulder injury during that season, when he had joined the Bengals as the fifth overall pick in the NFL/AFL draft. Cook was from Chillicothe, Ohio, and was a nationally recognized college star at the University of Cincinnati.
Cook was declared by the American Football League as its 1969 passing champion, based on average league ranking over several categories. Particularly gifted on long passes, he posted a league-leading average of 9.41 yards per attempt, a figure which remains a Bengals record. He was named AFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by Associated Press and United Press International.
But in Game 3 of 1969, on Sept. 28 at Kansas City, Cook suffered a shoulder injury while helping lead the second-year Bengals to a win that brought their profile to a new height in Cincinnati. The Bengals triumphed 24-19 over a Chiefs team that would go on to win Super Bowl IV, and Cincinnati moved to a 3-0 record.
Cook missed the next three games but returned to action later in the ’69 season. He totaled 11 games, passing 106-for-197 for 1854 yards with 15 TDs and 11 interceptions. But his injury later required several surgeries, beginning with the 1970 offseason, and he never was able to return to full action. He remained a member of the Bengals through 1974, but his only action after ’69 was a brief appearance in one game in 1973.
“Greg was the single most talented player we’ve ever had with the Bengals,” said Bengals president Mike Brown. “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,” Brown added. “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.”
At the time the Bengals drafted Cook, general manager and head coach Paul Brown said, “We believe this young man is the best quarterback prospect in the country.”
Cook was born in Dayton, Ohio, but identified his hometown as Chillicothe, Ohio, where he spent most of his growing-up years. He was a multi-sport star at Chillicothe High School. He left the University of Cincinnati football program with 15 outright school records and a share of two others.
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By Randyman1956
January 27, 2012 12:05 PM | Link to this
Greg was unique in the fact that his career never got off the ground and yet has often left we wondering what might have been. Always renownwd for his ability to stand on one goal line and throw it in the air to the other goal line. Obviously the reason he blew his shoulder out.
By 100 yards really?
January 27, 2012 1:35 PM | Link to this
Sorry, maybe he could launch the ball over 50 yds, but not 100. Not even 80. What was this guy - Clark Kent or something?
By 100 yards really
January 27, 2012 3:22 PM | Link to this
I’ve heard it said before that Cook could throw the ball 100 yards. I never saw him do it, but Reds pitcher Pedro Bourbon used to stand at home plate and throw a baseball over the centerfield fence more than 400 feet (around 130 yards). I did see that, so maybe Cook also had great arm strength, too.
By Average Bozo
January 27, 2012 3:58 PM | Link to this
As a person that has been “on” a football field every year for the past 36 years, I can tell you that there have been many QB’s that could throw a ball from one end zone to the other. For the “100 yards really” post: most high school QB’s can throw over 50 yards and many can throw more than 60….. As an offensive lineman in the 80’s, I could throw a ball from one sideline to the other. (53.3 YDS)
By Jamarcus Russell
January 27, 2012 6:58 PM | Link to this
Jamarcus Russell could throw the ball 70 yards, from his knees!
By Clint
January 27, 2012 7:54 PM | Link to this
Saw Greg Cook vs the Ohio U Bobcats at Nippert Stadium and Cook threw bomb after bomb perfectly thrown passes deep down the field . He was a great QB . The Bengals lost a good one .
By Chris Kinter
January 28, 2012 7:21 AM | Link to this
I saw Eric Love throw a Hail Mary pass from our 20 yardline deep into the far corner endzone against Middletown as a Sophmore in High School in 1975. Falling backwards with defendspulling him down