A pair of ex-New England Patriots teammates are set to rejoin as members of the Dallas Cowboys next season.
Wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who played for Bill Belichick and the Patriots in 2017, were both dealt to the Cowboys this offseason. Cooks departed the Houston Texans and Gilmore ended a one-year run with the Indianapolis Colts. And while the two haven’t played alongside one another in six years, both NFL veterans have remained in touch.
When speaking to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cooks revealed the strong bond he’s shared with Gilmore since first teaming up in New England during their run to Super Bowl LII.
“No exaggeration, we probably talk every single day for the past three or four years,” Cooks said on “The Adam Schefter Podcast”. “Every week at least, for sure. Somebody, I got a lot of respect for, that I run things by. But you know, he got traded first, and I’m like, ‘Man, how do we make this happen?’ And then next thing you know, we back on the same team together. So I’m excited.”
Gilmore was plagued with injuries, both to end his Patriots tenure and during his one-year stay with the Carolina Panthers in 2021. But the now 32-year-old is fresh off a revived 2022 campaign when Gilmore recorded 53 tackles, 13 assists and two interceptions in 16 games with Indianapolis. Meanwhile, Cooks totaled just 53 receptions — his fewest since his rookie season in 2014 — with 699 yards and no touchdowns.
“We knew it was a possibility,” Cooks said. “But then the next thing you know, we both get traded, he visits Dallas a week before me. … We both was in a situation that we obviously would’ve hoped to be different, but now we back to an incredible franchise.”
Rejoining in Dallas, Cooks and Gilmore, who didn’t play in the playoffs last season, will seek a Super Bowl return, with Mike McCarthy and Dak Prescott this upcoming season.
