 Cookus with theEdmonton Elks in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 –Birmingham Stallions | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: | (1995-10-06)October 6, 1995 (age 29) Thousand Oaks, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 205 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Thousand Oaks (CA) | ||||||||||||||||
| College: | Northern Arizona (2015–2019) | ||||||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2020 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||||
| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| Career spring football statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||||||||
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Stephen Case Cookus (born October 6, 1995), nicknamed "the Chef",[1] is an American professionalfootballquarterback for the Birmingham Stallions of theUnited Football League (UFL). As a true freshman atNorthern Arizona University, he was named the recipient of the 2015Jerry Rice Award and theSTATS FCS Freshman Player of the Year Award, both of which are awarded to the most outstanding freshman player in theNCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.[2][3] He holds the record for most combined passing and rushing touchdowns in a USFL game with five, which he accomplished in a game against theMichigan Panthers on June 5, 2022.
As a true freshman, Cookus began the season as the starting quarterback. After throwing for 3,111 yards and 37 touchdowns, he was named Freshman of the Year and was the winner of theJerry Rice Award, which is given to the most outstanding freshman in theFootball Championship Subdivision.[4] He was also named to the All-Big Sky First-team.
In the 2016 season, Cookus started the first four games of the season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury againstEastern Washington on September 24. AgainstNew Mexico Highlands, he tied school record of seven touchdown passes in a single game. For the season, he threw for 1,173 passing yards with 13 touchdowns and one interception.[5]
Cookus made a comeback season in 2017. His best game came againstCal Poly where he completed 35 of 46 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns. For the season, he threw 275 passes on 474 attempts for 3,413 yards with 22 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Cookus took Northern Arizona to the playoffs, but lost 41–20 in the first round to San Diego after throwing 22 of 41 for 178 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.[6] Against Montana, Cookus was ejected for targeting after throwing a downfield block, a very rare occurrence since targeting is almost exclusively called against defensive players.[7]
During the second game of the season againstEastern Washington, Cookus once again injured his shoulder while trying to run the ball. He finished the season completing 24 passes on 34 attempts for 265 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, including an 84-yard strike to wide receiver Emmanuel Butler in the season opener.[8]
| Season | Team | GP | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | Int | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |||
| 2015 | NAU | 11 | 222 | 322 | 68.9 | 3,111 | 37 | 5 | 90 | 209 | 2.3 | 3 |
| 2016 | NAU | 4 | 80 | 119 | 67.2 | 1,173 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 41 | 2.6 | 0 |
| 2017 | NAU | 12 | 275 | 474 | 58.0 | 3,413 | 22 | 6 | 53 | −14 | −0.3 | 2 |
| 2018 | NAU | 2 | 24 | 34 | 70.6 | 265 | 2 | 2 | 2 | −23 | −11.5 | 0 |
| 2019 | NAU | 12 | 290 | 481 | 60.3 | 4,095 | 31 | 7 | 45 | 19 | 0.4 | 1 |
| Career[9][6] | 41 | 891 | 1,430 | 65.0 | 12,057 | 105 | 21 | 206 | 232 | 1.1 | 6 | |
| Height | Weight | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft2+5⁄8 in (1.90 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | |||||||||||
| Values fromPro Day[10] | ||||||||||||
Cookus signed with theNew York Giants as an undrafted free agent on April 28, 2020.[11] He was waived on August 2, 2020.[12]
On May 17, 2021, Cookus signed with theDenver Broncos, but was waived three days later on May 20.[13][14]
On August 2, 2021, Cookus signed with theMinnesota Vikings, but was waived three days later on August 5.[15][16]
On August 10, 2021, Cookus signed with theLas Vegas Raiders.[17] He was waived on August 16, 2021.[18]
On October 20, 2021, Cookus signed with theCFL'sEdmonton Elks.[19] He was released 5 days later.
Cookus was selected in the 12th round of the2022 USFL draft by thePhiladelphia Stars.[20] He led the Stars into thechampionship game, but had to depart the game with a broken leg.[21]
On November 23, 2022, Cookus signed with the practice squad of theLos Angeles Rams.[22] His practice squad contract expired when the team's season ended on January 9, 2023.
On February 17, 2023, Cookus re-signed with the Stars.[23] The Stars folded when theXFL and USFL merged to create theUnited Football League (UFL).[24]
On January 5, 2024, Cookus was selected by theMemphis Showboats during the2024 UFL dispersal draft.[25]
On March 5, 2025, Cookus signed with theBirmingham Stallions of theUnited Football League (UFL).[26]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2022 | PHI | 9 | 7 | 130 | 208 | 62.5 | 1,334 | 6.4 | 12 | 5 | 90.1 | 22 | 217 | 9.9 | 1 |
| 2023 | PHI | 10 | 10 | 218 | 347 | 62.8 | 2,294 | 6.6 | 15 | 9 | 85.6 | 52 | 277 | 5.3 | 0 |
| 2024 | MEM | 8 | 6 | 99 | 161 | 61.5 | 989 | 6.1 | 7 | 4 | 83.1 | 19 | 86 | 4.5 | 0 |
| Career | 27 | 23 | 447 | 716 | 62.4 | 4,618 | 6.4 | 34 | 18 | 86.3 | 93 | 580 | 6.2 | 1 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2022 | PHI | 2 | 2 | 27 | 49 | 55.1 | 355 | 7.2 | 3 | 1 | 90.1 | 5 | 43 | 8.6 | 1 |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)