Christopher Ken Cooley (born July 11, 1982) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
who played for the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
for
Utah State University
Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public land-grant research university in Logan, Utah. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. With nearly 20,000 students living on or near campus, USU is Utah's ...
, and was drafted by the Redskins in the third round of the
2004 NFL draft
The 2004 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24–25, 2004 at the Theater at ...
.
Early years
Cooley attended
Logan High School in
Logan, Utah
Logan is a city in Cache County, Utah, United States. The 2020 census recorded the population was 52,778. Logan is the county seat of Cache County and the principal city of the Logan metropolitan area, which includes Cache County and Franklin ...
, and
lettered
Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...
in
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, wrestling, and baseball. As a senior football tight end, he caught 45 passes for 625 yards (13.34 yards per rec. avg.) and on defense, added eight
sacks and numerous tackles. In wrestling, he posted a 54–0 record his senior season and won the state championship and
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
honors.
College career
Cooley finished his
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
career at
Utah State University
Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public land-grant research university in Logan, Utah. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. With nearly 20,000 students living on or near campus, USU is Utah's ...
with 95 receptions for 1,255 yards (13.2 yards per reception). He was part of a talented receiving unit with teammate
Kevin Curtis
Kevin Devon Curtis (born July 17, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah State and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. ...
.
In 2003, his senior season at Utah State, Cooley led the
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
in receptions by a tight end.
In 2017 he was inducted into the Utah State University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Professional career
2004 season
In
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
, Cooley was drafted in the third round, with the 81st overall pick, of the
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24–25, 2004 at the Theater at ...
by the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
. After being used sparingly in the first half of the 2004 season, Cooley began to be used more extensively in the last eight games, developing a rapport with Redskins quarterback
Patrick Ramsey
Patrick Allen Ramsey (born February 14, 1979) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the Tulane Green Wave and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. Ramsey has also b ...
. In his first NFL season, Cooley led the team in touchdowns with six, while recording 37 receptions for 314 yards, catching three passes of more than twenty yards, and getting 23 first downs. He finished the season with an average of 8.5 yards per catch. He was the Redskins' nominee for the NFL Man of the Year award for his work reading to children and feeding the poor. He is also lesser known by the nickname "Johnny White Guy," which was given to him by
Clinton Portis
Clinton Earl Portis (born September 1, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. He was drafted b ...
during one of Portis' colorful press conferences, but the off color nickname did not stick.
2005 season
During the 2005 season, Cooley had a solid season as a receiver, catching 71 passes for 774 yards and seven touchdowns, including three in a game versus the rival
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
, breaking the Redskins franchise record for receptions as a tight end in a single season. Those three
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
s cost Cooley his
fantasy football playoff game, because his opponent had Cooley on his fantasy team. He led all
NFC
NFC may refer to:
Psychology
* Need for cognition, in psychology
* Need for closure, social psychological term
Sports
* NFC Championship Game, the National Football Conference Championship Game
* NCAA Football Championship (Philippines)
* Nati ...
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
s in fan voting for the annual
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
with 422,314 votes, but following player and coach voting (each group had 1/3 weight), was not chosen for the position. He was named first-team All-NFC by
Pro Football Weekly
''Pro Football Weekly'' (sometimes shortened to ''PFW'') is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, and website that covers the National Football League (NFL). It was owned by Pro Football Weekly LLC and headquartered in Riverwoods, Illinoi ...
.
2006 season
In 2006, Cooley got off to a slow start under the play-calling of the Washington Redskins' new
offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of an American football or Canadian football team who is in charge of the team's offense. Generally, along with the defensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator, this coach re ...
,
Al Saunders
Alan Keith Saunders (born February 1, 1947) is an American football coach who most recently served as the senior offensive assistant for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL).
Personal life
Saunders was born in the north Lo ...
. With only three receptions in the first two weeks of the season, Cooley appeared to not have a place in the new offensive scheme, but in the weeks following, became a growing part of the Redskins offense. He ended the season with numbers slightly less than his sophomore outing, but was still one of the top tight ends in the game.
2007 season
On September 1, 2007, Cooley signed a six-year, $30 million contract extension.
In 2007, he had scored in all but one game as of week six. In the sixth week, Cooley had nine receptions for a career-high 105 yards and one touchdown in a 17-14 loss against the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
. On December 18, he was named to the 2007 Pro Bowl team with Redskins tackle
Chris Samuels
Chris Samuels (born July 28, 1977) is a former American college and professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University of Alabama, and ...
, long-snapper
Ethan Albright, and the late safety
Sean Taylor
Sean Michael Maurice Taylor (April 1, 1983 – November 27, 2007) was an American football safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected fifth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins, where h ...
. Cooley set an NFL record by being the only tight end in league history to have six or more touchdowns in each of his first four seasons.
2008 season
In 2008, Cooley scored only one touchdown. In Week 5, he had eight receptions for a career-high 109 yards and one touchdown, on a pass from
Antwaan Randle El
Antwaan Randle El (; born August 17, 1979) is an American football coach and former player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions of the Nati ...
in a 23–17 win against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
. Cooley finished the season with 83 catches for 849 yards and one touchdown, with career highs in both catches and yardage. He was the only player not to get into the stat book in the 2009 Pro Bowl.
2009 season
Cooley broke his ankle in a matchup against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
on October 26, 2009. It was initially speculated that Cooley would miss the remainder of the 2009 season. On October 27, 2009, Cooley commented via
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
that the break may not have been as bad as originally thought and that he could possibly return in as little as four weeks. His longest play of the year was a 66-yard touchdown. On November 30, 2009, Cooley was placed on
injured reserve
The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
.
2010 season
Cooley played in all sixteen games of the 2010 season, but had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after the season on January 3, 2011.
2011 season
Still recovering from the arthroscopic surgery to his left knee, Cooley did not play in any of the preseason games in 2011. Cooley played only in the 2011 season's first five games. After the win in Week 1 against the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
, Cooley became the Washington Redskins' all-time leader in receptions at the tight end position with 422 receptions, breaking the previous franchise record of 421 set by
Jerry Smith.
In Week 3 against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
, Cooley subbed in for
Darrel Young
Darrel Young (born April 8, 1987) is a former American football fullback. He is currently the player development director for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent as a linebacker prospect ...
and
Mike Sellers
Michael Sellers (born July 21, 1975) is a former American football fullback in the National Football League (NFL). He was the youngest import player to sign a Canadian Football League (CFL) deal in the history of the football league when he pla ...
, who were both injured, and played the fullback position for the first time in his career.
In Week 6 against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
, Cooley suffered a broken finger.
On October 25, 2011, Cooley was placed on injured reserve after his knee was examined further by his doctor and he was told that it would take another four or five weeks before full recovery.
2012 season
During the preseason, it was reported that Cooley's knee was completely healed from the surgery and that he even lost 20 pounds to prepare for the
2012 season. However, Cooley was released by the Redskins on August 28, 2012. It had been hinted by general manager
Bruce Allen that Cooley could return to the Redskins.
On October 21, 2012, Cooley agreed to re-sign with the Redskins after
Fred Davis tore his
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus (h ...
and was done for the season.
NFL career statistics
Retirement and post-playing career
On July 16, 2013, ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' reported that Cooley was retiring from the NFL. ''The Post'' further reported that Cooley would join the Washington Redskins' radio broadcast team as an analyst.
Cooley also co-hosted "Cooley & Kevin", a morning drive time sports show on ESPN 980 in D. C., with Kevin Sheehan. The show was cancelled in 2018. Cooley now
hosts his own podcast, The Chris Cooley Show, in which he discusses Redskins and NFL news and breaks down each week's game film. He also produces weekly film review segments on the Redskins' official website.
On August 11, 2015, it was reported that Cooley expressed interest into returning to the NFL after working out at the Redskins facility during the off season. Cooley never officially retired from the NFL after not being re-signed by the Redskins in 2013. After playing only with the Redskins throughout his entire career, he was afraid to tarnish his legacy by joining another team. The following month, Cooley attended a workout for the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
but was not signed.
On September 1, 2022, Cooley was inducted into Washington's Greatest Players list in honor of the franchise's 90th anniversary.
Personal life
Cooley resides in Powell, Wyoming.
Though he has previously attended
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
, he has not affiliated with that Church since at least 2004. He and his first wife Angela divorced in 2005. Later that year, he started dating Redskinnette (Redskin cheerleader) Christy Oglevee. She was fired for fraternizing with Redskins players, which the Redskins organization prohibits. They married on May 23, 2008 in
Lansdowne, Virginia
Lansdowne is a census-designated place and planned community located near Leesburg, Virginia in Loudoun County, Virginia. The population as of the 2010 United States Census was 11,253.
It is north of State Route 7 and south of the Potomac River. ...
. In January 2012 they separated and in September they announced their intent to divorce. Cooley's first child, daughter Sloane, was born on September 11, 2014. He is currently married to Madi Debray. Cooley owned and operated an art gallery in
Leesburg, Virginia
Leesburg is a town in the state of Virginia, and the county seat of Loudoun County. Settlement in the area began around 1740, which is named for the Lee family, early leaders of the town and ancestors of Robert E. Lee. Located in the far northea ...
from 2010 to 2019 where he also owned a home from 2007 to 2021. He and Debray relocated to Cooley's early childhood hometown of
Powell, Wyoming
Powell is a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 6,314 at the 2010 census. Powell is an All-America City and home to Northwest College.
History
Powell was incorporated in 1909. Powell was named for John Wesley Powell ...
in August 2020.
Cooley, frequently referred to by his nickname "
Captain Chaos," is known for his eccentric hair styles, affinity for
heavy metal music
Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock and acid rock, heavy metal bands developed a ...
, and what one reporter has called an "''
Animal House
''National Lampoon's Animal House'' is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis and written by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney and Chris Miller. It stars John Belushi, Peter Riegert, Tim Matheson, John Vernon, Verna Bloom, Thomas Hu ...
'' persona". This nickname was created when teammates bet him he would not go out to the opening coin toss and introduce himself to the opposing team captains as "Captain Chaos". Cooley did so and the nickname stuck.
Cooley maintains his own blog, "The Cooley Zone." On Sunday, September 14, 2008, Cooley posted on his blog a photo of Redskins training materials that also included his genitals. The picture remained on his site all day Sunday until it was finally removed. Cooley apologized and referred to the incident as "a complete accident", claiming that he initially posted the photo without realizing it showed his genitals. He at one time maintained an online store through
eBay
eBay Inc. ( ) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and became a ...
, featuring jerseys, cards, and other personalized memorabilia. Cooley is an avid trading card collector, a hobby he rediscovered while searching for his own football cards.
Cooley is executive producer of the
independent film
An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...
''
Ghosts Don't Exist'', which began production in May 2009. He was featured in an episode of ''
Jake and Amir
Jake and Amir is an American comedy duo made up of podcasters and former CollegeHumor writers Jake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenfeld. The duo came into prominence in 2007 when they began writing and starring in the web series ''Jake and Amir.'' Th ...
'' for the comedy website
CollegeHumor
CollegeHumor is an Internet comedy company based in Los Angeles. Aside from producing content for release on YouTube, it was also a former humor website owned by InterActiveCorp ( IAC) until January 2020, when IAC withdrew funding and the websi ...
.
Cooley majored in art at Utah State, and now pursues a side career as a
potter
A potter is someone who makes pottery.
Potter may also refer to:
Places United States
*Potter, originally a section on the Alaska Railroad, currently a neighborhood of Anchorage, Alaska, US
* Potter, Arkansas
*Potter, Nebraska
* Potters, New Je ...
.
Cooley made several appearances in TV commercials for
Easterns Automotive Group, a local car dealership group on the DC and Baltimore areas, alongside
Clinton Portis
Clinton Earl Portis (born September 1, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. He was drafted b ...
,
Antwaan Randle El
Antwaan Randle El (; born August 17, 1979) is an American football coach and former player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions of the Nati ...
,
Sean Taylor
Sean Michael Maurice Taylor (April 1, 1983 – November 27, 2007) was an American football safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected fifth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins, where h ...
and
Jason Campbell
Jason S. Campbell (born December 31, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college footbal ...
.
References
Further reading
* Lindsey, Drew.
Chris Cooley Bares It All, ''Washingtonian'', August 1, 2009.
External links
Washington Redskins bio*
Official blogThe Cooley Gallery*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooley, Chris
1982 births
Living people
American football fullbacks
American football tight ends
National Conference Pro Bowl players
People from Powell, Wyoming
People from Leesburg, Virginia
Players of American football from Wyoming
Utah State Aggies football players
Washington Redskins players
National Football League announcers
Sportspeople from Logan, Utah
Former Latter Day Saints
Washington Redskins announcers