Mizzou Football: An open letter to Brady Cook

Dear Brady,

As you prepare to don the Black and Gold for the final time, I wanted to take a moment to offer you my sincere gratitude and thanks for your five years of dedication to the team we both love so much. From that first touchdown pass against Vanderbilt during the 2020 season to your game-winning run across the ice against Arkansas a few short weeks ago, it has always been clear that you were living out a dream that only few of us ever get to realize.

Your journey to this moment has been one marked by a strong sense of responsibility and an unwavering loyalty for the team, the university and its fans. For that, and for so much more, I want to say: “Thank you.”

Missouri quarterback Brady Cook (12) is carried off the field after the end of a game against Arkansas on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, at Faurot Field. (CAL TOBIAS/ROCK M NATION)

Thank you for your 26 wins as a starter (and clinching that 27th win against South Carolina in 2021 with a clutch 11-yard run to run the clock out.) Thank you for your 8,721 passing yards, 1,155 rushing yards and 67 total touchdowns. Thank you for beating Kansas State. Thank you for the 4th and 17. Thank you for the Cotton Bowl. Thank you for coming back from the hospital on your final Homecoming to beat Auburn. Thank you for beating Arkansas every time. Thank you for your leadership and three-year team captaincy. But more importantly, thank you for your resilience.

You’ve faced more than your fair share of challenges throughout your career. Every season as a starter you have faced injuries that have taken a toll—physically, mentally, and undoubtedly emotionally. Despite those setbacks, you never gave up. You fought through pain, fought through doubts, and fought through moments when others may have questioned your ability to bounce back. But through it all, you stood tall, never wavering in your commitment to Mizzou.

Perhaps even more impressive than your ability to play through physical adversity is the way you have handled adversity from outside the locker room. We all know that being in the spotlight comes with its share of critics. Throughout your time at Mizzou, you’ve faced your share of unfair and unwarranted criticism and yet you always responded with grace. You didn’t let the negativity define you. Instead, you used it as fuel to continue to improve and to show up every week for your team, for your coaches, and even for the fans who so often cast doubt.

It takes an extraordinary person to stand firm in the face of all that and yet still show up with the same passion and commitment. That’s the kind of leader you’ve been for Mizzou—someone who didn’t let external voices drown out the love you have for the university and the fans who support it.

Missouri quarterback Brady Cook (12) walks out on the field before a game against Texas A&M on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.(CAL TOBIAS/ROCK M NATION)

Finally, thank you for showing my sons what it means to have dreams, set goals, and pursue them with abandon. As you were raised on watching the excellence of Tiger greats like Chase Daniel, Blaine Gabbert and James Franklin, I’m proud to raise my burgeoning young Tigers on watching you compete in the Black and Gold every week.

You’ve shown them, and all of us, what it means to be steadfast, to keep pushing forward no matter the obstacles, and to never let the challenges of the moment define who you are.

Beyond the touchdowns, the passing yards, and the highlight reels, what Mizzou fans will remember most is the way you carried yourself through every high and every low. You’ve been the definition of resilience, and in a world that often values quick results over long-term commitment, you’ve shown us what it truly means to stick with something, to grow, and to persevere. You’ve taught us all valuable lessons, not just as fans, but as people, about the power of loyalty, dedication, and hard work.

In a time in college athletics where we so often see folks leave for greener pastures or seek easier paths, you chose to stay. You chose to face adversity head-on, knowing that Mizzou needed you just as much as you needed Mizzou. That kind of loyalty and devotion isn’t something we see every day, and it’s something that will echo through Mizzou’s history for years to come.

As you prepare to move on to your next chapter, know that the Mizzou family will always be proud of you. You’ve left an indelible mark on this program and in the hearts of everyone who has had the honor of watching you play.

Thanks for being a True Son.

M-I-Z