We begin with an unlikely, but wonderful, story: Brady Cook, starting NFL quarterback, New York Jets.
The persistent, relentless and seemingly unbreakable St. Louis native will make his first career NFL start Sunday at Jacksonville.
I hope Brady gets a good night’s sleep. He’ll probably be restless. And just a little nervous. And with his abundant energy, Cook will be antsy to get going. He started plenty of big games at Mizzou. But this one is bigger.
"I think nerves are a part of the game," Cook told reporters that cover the Jets. "I've been nervous before any football game I've ever played. I'm excited. It's important. This is everything I've ever done.
“So there's a level of importance there that's going to create nerves, but whenever I drag out onto the field and take that first snap, it's gone. It's not there. You're focused because you have no other choice. You really don't."
Because of injuries to quarterbacks Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor, Cook is the next man up for the Jets. Cook actually made his regular-season NFL debut last week, coming off the bench in the first quarter after Taylor suffered a strained groin.
Cook didn’t have an easy ride in less than ideal circumstances. The Jets stink. They really stink. This season they’ve lost 10 of 13 games, and rank 26th in the league in both points scored, and allowed, per game.
The Jets haven’t made the playoffs since 2010. Their last winning season was back in 2015. Over the last 15 seasons, their winning percentage (.353) ranks 30th among 32 NFL teams.
The Jets are chronic and unlovable losers. But at least this futile franchise did something good by giving a chance to Brady Cook, the lovable underdog.
Cook’s first NFL game wasn’t exactly a picnic. The Jets were clobbered 34-10 at home by Miami. Cook, under intense pass-rush pressure, completed only 14 of 30 throws for 163 yards. He was intercepted twice. He fumbled twice; at least the Jets recovered both of them. The Dolphins sacked Cook six times, and the New York receivers dropped five passes – including a potential touchdown throw. Cook, 24, didn’t have much help.
That first regular-season gameday experience gave Cook a chance to play, get acclimated, and deal with the dizzying nature of it all. This can only help him. Heck, when Cook entered the game the Jets were already down by three touchdowns. After that imposing assignment at least Cook knows more about what to expect when he lines up against the Jaguars.
"It was just a tough situation of him not getting a chance to get all the reps," Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said. “But now this week, he's had a chance to get all the reps with (the starters), get a chance to communicate with the O-line, with the receivers, with the tight ends, with the coaching staff on exactly how we want to go about playing this game.
“Man, I have all the confidence in the world. That's something I've stated from the very beginning -- he'll be a good player in this league."
The thing that jumped out at me about Cook’s NFL debut was the post-game reaction of his coach and teammates. They seem to love the dude. That’s how it was at Mizzou. Teammates revered Cook. They were inspired by his competitiveness and leadership. Despite his rough (if predictable) first game, Cook has earned respect in the locker room.
“He kind of demanded the attention of the huddle,” Jets guard John Simpson told NJ Advance Media. “And that’s all you can ask for from a young guy like he is. He’s talented.”
Added Jets running back Breece Hall: “Supreme confidence. He takes every rep in practice like a pro.”
Glenn took a liking to Cook during Jets training camp. It’s one of the reasons why the Jets found a spot for the Mizzou man on their practice squad. They saw something in him … just the way Missouri coach saw something in Cook … and went with him as a three-year starter at Mizzou – even when the media and fans were shouting for another quarterback to take over.
I speak for myself here, but I’m not alone. There’s been a strong tendency to underestimate Cook. But in his last 28 starts as MU’s quarterback, Cook went 22-6 and led the program to consecutive 10+ win seasons in 2023 and 2024.
"I think you can lead just by influence, by the way you carry yourself," Glenn told reporters. "I think he's doing a really good job of that, too. It's not just the competence part -- it's the influence part on how he works, the time he gets in in the morning, when he leaves, the way he goes in and commands the huddle, the way he gets the play-call out.
“All those things show that he's been studying his butt off for this moment. And to me every quarterback should prepare like they're a starter because you just don't know when it's going to happen when you have to get in and be able to lead a group of men to score touchdowns.
"He's had a hell of a week,” Glenn added. Again, we still have more work to do, but I'm looking forward to how he finishes this week off."
When Cook takes his first snap in Sunday’s game at Jacksonville, he’ll become the first undrafted rookie quarterback to start a game for the Jets since 1973.
I’m going to alter my Sunday NFL viewing habits by watching the Jets-Jaguars game, which kicks off at noon (STL time).
SPEAKING OF JACKSONVILLE
Sunday’s game will have a definite St. Louis element. Jacksonville’s first-year general manager is James Gladstone, a graduate of Clayton High School who got his chance to work in an NFL football operation when St. Louis Rams GM Les Snead hired him in 2016. Gladstone was promoted by Snead, several times, before the Jaguars offered the GM job after the end of the 2024 season.
Gladstone, 35, has played a major role in the Jax turnaround. The Jaguars lead the AFC South division with a 9-4 record. That’s quite a jump for a team that had 10 losing seasons over a 13-year stretch before Gladstone’s arrival.
Here’s a quick summation of Gladstone’s instant impact on the Jaguars. He turned the roster over with great speed.
Jacksonville went to 2025 training camp with 31 rookies on the 91-man roster. There were nine draft picks and 22 undrafted rookies. There were 10 rookies on the season-opening 53-man roster, and other rookies were either injured or on the practice squad.
Gladstone declined to re-sign any of the team’s unrestricted free agents in advance of 2025; no other NFL did that. But Gladstone recruited 15 outside free agents to rebuild parts of the roster before the Jaguars went to training camp. Jacksonville has the fourth-youngest average age in the NFL.
As a fan, I will have mixed emotions Sunday. Of course I want to see Brady Cook play well. But there is also a personal connection on the other side of this matchup. James Gladstone grew up in the St. Louis neighborhood where I’ve lived since 1995.
His parents, Gene and Kim Gladstone are wonderful people – and perfect neighbors. Our home is directly across the alley from the Gladstone house. Our respective garages are separated by 10 yards – the length of a first down. Before the start of the season, Gene dropped off a Jaguars cap and a couple of other team-merchandise goodies.
So yeah, I’m rooting for the Jaguars. I’ve been doing that since Gladstone became the GM. And yeah, I’ll be rooting for Brady Cook. Yes, I can have it both ways.
I GUESS THAT’S WHY THE CALL IT THE BLUES
Going into Friday’s home game against Chicago, the Blues were 11-14-7 for a .453 points percentage that ranks 30th in the 32-team NHL.
The Blues have crashed, taken down by a lack of effort, bad goaltending, loose defensive play, and underachieving forwards who can’t finish enough scoring chances. And now the injuries are piling up – or perhaps piling on.
There’s a lot of rubble. Has Blues chairman Tom Stillman ordered any bulldozers? I ask because the Blues have to clear this place out.
The Blues are terrible offensively, ranking 30th in the league with a rate of 2.5 goals (all strengths) per 60 minutes. They’re feeble at goal prevention, ranking 31st with a yield of 3.52 goals allowed per 60.
This isn’t a spunky underdog that competes like crazy and can’t win enough games because of a shortage of talent.
No, this is a team that has the talent to do better – but can’t overcome a shortage of heart.
"Soft ... soft in front of our own net, soft in front of their net," team captain Brayden Schenn said after the meek Blues got blasted in Thursday’s 7-2 ass-kicking in Nashville. "We're not hard enough in front of either net. That's why we don't score, that's why we give them up."
Writing on the Blues beat for the Hockey News, our friend Lou Korac spoke the truth after the blue-notes went quietly in the Nashville night: “The team was soft -- like Charmin -- at both ends of the ice.”
I disagree, Louie. The Blues are softer than Quilted Northern Ultra Plush.
NOTES ON ‘NADO
1. Last season, from late June through the end of the regular season, Nolan Arenado had a wRC+ that was 51 percent below league average offensively – and the worst among 12 Cardinals who had at least 100 plate appearances over that time.
2. Arenado’s .272 on-base percentage over that stretch was lower than that of Victor Scott II, Jordan Walker, Pedro Pages, and Thomas Saggese.
3. Arenado’s .311 slugging percentage since late June was worse than that of Walker, Nolan Gorman, Saggese and Pages.
4. Arenado’s 49 wRC+ during this time frame was lower than that of former Cardinal Dylan Carlson (53), who played for the Orioles.
CRYPTIC OR RANDOM COMMENTS: I’m gonna miss Willson Contreras … Eli Drinkwitz is not a Michigan Man … this is what you get when you mess with John Kelly … when a dude’s name is “Boleslav the Cruel” in a story, it sure as hell won’t end well … Elvis never left me a Ford Pinto … Dennis Wilson was underrated, but not as underrated as Carl .. random and unnecessary ranking of the best #STLCards Davids: Freese, Eckstein, LaPoint, Green.
VIEWS FROM THE OUTSIDE
– Former major-league scout Bernie Pleskoff, writing for Forbes, on Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom.
“The St. Louis Cardinals have a new voice, and a very well respected baseball mind at the helm of player operations. Chaim Bloom, 43, has replaced John Mozeliak as president of baseball operations. Bloom has an outstanding track record for recognizing baseball talent.
“Bloom was prominent in front office baseball operations roles with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Boston Red Sox, and now the Cardinals.
“Once a consistently feared Major League Baseball franchise, the Cardinals have not fielded a playoff team since they lost a National League Wild Card series to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022.
“Missing the playoffs three consecutive seasons, the Cardinals have had issues with roster construction, aging players, and player payroll concerns.
“Now, it seems fans of the Cardinals, among the best and most loyal in MLB, may have renewed hope.”
– Gabe Lacques, USA Today, on the Cardinals’ efforts to trade Nolan Arenado.
“St. Louis and Nolan Arenado are staging a stirring remake of The Long Kiss Goodbye, starring a third baseman with a no-trade clause who can’t find the right fit,” Lacques wrote. “The Cardinals thought they had him dealt a year ago, then played another season with the 10-time Gold Glover. At this point, nobody’s waiting with bated breath for this deal.”
– Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic, despised by St. Louis Blues fans, offered his Christmas wish for the failing Blues Note.
“Last year’s Jim Montgomery magic,” was the wish from Luszczyszyn. “Things are so bad in St. Louis that even I feel bad. You guys let this version of Steven Stamkos drop four goals on on you and this version of the Predators score seven? That’s bleak. The vibe shift between last season and now has been absolutely colossal and maybe that’s for the best. This franchise could use a high-end draft pick to add to the current re-tool.”
Thanks for reading …
Have a wonderful weekend …
Pardon my typos …
Navy will defeat Army by a score of 27-19.
–Bernie
Bernie was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2023. During a St. Louis sports-media career that goes back to 1985, he’s won multiple national awards for column writing and sports-talk hosting – and was the lead sports columnist at the Post-Dispatch from 1989 through 2015. Before that Bernie spent a year at the Dallas Morning News, covering the Dallas Cowboys during Tom Landry’s final season (1988) plus the sale of the team to Jerry Jones and the hiring of Jimmy Johnson as coach.
Bernie has covered several Baseball Hall of Fame managers during his media career including Tony La Russa, Whitey Herzog, Earl Weaver, Joe Torre and (as an interim) Red Schoendienst. In his career as a beatwriter and columnist, Bernie covered Pro Football Hall of Fame coaches Joe Gibbs, Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson and Dick Vermeil. Bernie covered every baseball Cardinals’ postseason game from 1996 through 2014 and was there to chronicle teams that won four NL pennants and two World Series. He provided extensive coverage on the “Greatest Show” St. Louis Rams and has written extensively on the St. Louis Blues and Mizzou football and basketball. Bernie was/is a longtime voter for the Baseball Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Heisman Trophy and the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame.
You can access his columns, videos and the podcast version of the videos here on STLSportsCentral, catch him regularly on KMOX (AM or FM) as part of the Gashouse Gang, Sports Rush Hour, Sports Open Line or Sports On a Sunday Morning shows. And you can catch weekly “reunion” segments here at STL Sports Central featuring Bernie and his longtime friend Randy Karraker.