Brandin Cooks is the newest San Francisco 49ers reciever, and it didn't take him long to explain why.
San Francisco added the veteran wide receiver on Wednesday, with the deal coming as the Niners' receiver room has been hit hard by injuries. In his first practice, Cooks made clear the decision came down to one factor above all else: head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Asked what made the 49ers attractive to him over other potential landing spots, Cooks didn't hesitate.
"Kyle. Coach Shanahan," Cooks said. "His ability, his offensive play calling."
Reporter: “What made it attractive for you to come here when you had other options?”
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 23, 2026
Brandin Cooks: “Kyle. Coach Shanahan. His ability, his offensive play calling.” 💯 pic.twitter.com/7yF11crMQl
It's a notable vote
of confidence from a receiver who has played in a variety of systems across a 12-year career that's included stops in New Orleans, New England, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas and Buffalo. Cooks has six career 1,000-yard seasons and finishes with 734 catches for 9,811 yards and 60 touchdowns, though his production has cratered the past two years. Cooks, who will be 33 this month, has just 285 combined yards and three touchdowns in 2024, and a career-low 24 catches for 279 yards with no touchdowns split between the Saints and the Bills in 2025.
Shanahan, for his part, said the pitch to Cooks was straightforward.
“He knows that we're down guys, so he's going to have an opportunity to get up eventually," Shanahan said. "We'd give him a chance to come here, let him show us what he can do, give him a chance to compete to get up. [Wednesday] will be his first day, so he's got to learn the offense, get used to it out there, but hopefully he can show that over this week or over the next few weeks.”
“It’s just awesome to get a veteran receiver here. Brandin, I’ve been a fan of him for the last 10 years. He’s had a hell of a career. Been a hell of a player.”
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 23, 2026
Kyle Shanahan on adding WR Brandin Cooks to the team pic.twitter.com/jUHXoJ1qRf
The need is real. Ricky Pearsall is out for the season after PCL surgery, De'Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinsonhave both been banged up and will be out for extended periods of time, Christian Kirk has missed time with a calf strain, and Mike Evans continues to deal with the kind of recurring soft-tissue issues. That's left veteran Deebo Samuel and young but unproven wideouts Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins as the healthiest options in the room heading into the back half of September.
Whether Cooks can find anything close to his 2015-16 form remains to be seen. But for a 49ers offense that's suddenly thin at receiver, his arrival gives Shanahan another veteran option to lean on while the rest of the room works its way back to health.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Brandin Cooks explains 1 reason he signed with 49ers
