Kansas City Chiefs’ Marcus Cooper “Grinding” It Out In NFL
By Troy Alan
@TRantMedia
Denny Medley – USA Today Sports
If you’re a Kansas City Chiefs fan wanting to learn more about defensive back Marcus Cooper, beware. A simple internet search could leave you with much more “dancing” in your head than you originally had. We’ll strip that down, and get to the bottom of it in a bit. “Work before play,” they say.
The Chiefs DB was impressive against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Cooper scored the first points of the game and nearly ended it for the Titans on two separate big plays. He recovered a punt in the end zone off the leg of a Titans defender to put the Chiefs up 7-0 in the first quarter. He intercepted a Ryan Fitzpatrick pass in the fourth to protect what was then just a Kansas City 23-17 lead.
Cooper played wide receiver for Rutgers up until his senior year, when he was switched to cornerback. In just one season at the position, he got the attention of NFL scouts. He was a seventh-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in this year’s draft, but was released by them at the 53-man cut deadline prior to the opening game.
The Chiefs jumped all over in making the acquisition. They had first dibs coming off a 2-14 season.
Coach Andy Reid gives all the credit for the pickup to GM John Dorsey, stating that all he remembers about Cooper was him as a wideout in college. He was placed on the active roster behind five-year veteran Brandon Flowers.
When Flowers was unable to go against the New York Giants, No. 31 stepped in and performed well. In fact, he’s sparked a minor cornerback controversy in Kansas City. Brandon played this week, but in a strong safety position. Flowers led the Chiefs’ defense with eight tackles and tipped the ball that was picked off by Quinton Demps for the real game-sealer against Tennessee.
The question was asked of Reid, however: why was a healthy No. 24 not playing in his starting position? He chalked it up to “strategy.”
Now that those questions are answered, my initial search of “Marcus Cooper” left me watching some scantily-clad young women dancing together. I of course immediately clicked away, but was left wondering … I am surfing “football” right? It turns out Cooper shares his birth name with R&B artist Pleasure P, who had a hit with the group Pretty Ricky in 2004. The song is titled “Grind With Me.”
It appears the Chiefs’ D-back is embracing the grind of a long season in the clubhouse at night, and not that of a short season in the nightclub. It’s not the same as playing divided ends, but it’s paying dividends.
Troy Alan is a Kansas City Chiefs writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TRantMedia or “Like” him on Facebook
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