ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Jonathon Cooper is a professional football player, yes, and a good one. And now a well-paid one at that.
But he’s also a fan of the NBA and his two favorite players for most of his young life have been Dwayne Wade, who is now retired, and Russell Westbrook, who is now a Denver Nugget.
Which is convenient because Cooper plays in the same town as an outside linebacker for the Denver Broncos.
“When Russell Westbrook came here I was so excited,’’ Cooper said this week in an interview with 9NEWS. “Nobody knew he was my favorite player. I’ve never met him but if I could play day-in and day-out and match his intensity, that’s the type of intensity I want to bring to my game. I definitely look up to a guy like him and so happy that he’s here.”
A little birthday cheer for Westbrook who turns 36 on Tuesday. He is in his 17th NBA season, first in Denver and is averaging 11.7 points, 5.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds while playing half the game (25.1 minutes) for the 6-3 Nuggets. Cooper, 26 and in his fourth professional season, does play with the type of intensity that would make Westbrook proud. One day after he received his four-year, $54 million extension from the Broncos last Saturday, Cooper mentioned nothing about his newfound riches – the media was unaware of his new deal until Monday – and instead repeatedly bemoaned how Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson kept stiff-arming him away from his sack attempts.
“It’s all about the team to me,’’ Cooper, a 7th-round draft pick who had 8.5 sacks last season and 5.5 halfway through this year, said Wednesday in his 9NEWS chat. “It’s such a great personal accomplishment (getting the new contract) but it all relates to us winning these games to get to where we’re supposed to get to. Because we have such a good team here. You can see the culture changing and we’re so close to being that elite team and this organization getting back to where we used to be. And I don’t want to ever take away from that just because of my personal success.”
The masses were starting to agree with Cooper about the proficiency of his team when the Broncos were 5-3 and winners of five of the past six. But then came the 41-10 blowout loss at Baltimore last week and a meeting against the mighty Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs are 8-0 following back-to-back Super Bowl titles. They have Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, Andy Reid as their head coach, Travis Kelce at tight end and all three moonlight by starring in national TV commercials.
Their surprisingly low 7.0-point average margin of victory, though, has people thinking they’re the most beatable 8-0 team in recent NFL history. Cooper views those close victories with awe.
“What they’ve been able to do this season has been incredible,’’ he said. “Being undefeated and with not even playing their best ball. I’m sure that’s the conversation for them, ‘Hey, we’re sitting at the top right now and doing our thing and we haven’t even played our best ball.’
“I know for us, we’ve had to get back to work. We’ve had to wipe this taste from Baltimore and realize we’re a better team than what that score showed and go out there and handle our business in Kansas City.’’
Cooper will be ready. As he comes out for the pregame warmups, he’ll be wearing his share of black face paint. He may slip on a mask that covers most of his face. He will display a menacing stare. His mindset will be Russell Westbrook-like, in other words.
“Just can’t wait to put my hands on somebody,’’ Cooper said of his pregame psych job. “I love this game. I’ve been playing it since I was 6 years old and I’ve always loved hitting. I’ve always had a knack for hitting on the defensive side of things. Yeah, I feel like it’s energy or electricity and just want to take it out on somebody.”
