Jameel Cook

Jameel Cook is an American former professional football fullback known for his eight-season career in the National Football League (NFL), primarily as a blocking specialist and special teams contributor with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans. He was part of the Buccaneers' roster during their Super Bowl XXXVII victory following the 2002 season. ^{[1] [2]} Born on February 8, 1979, in Miami, Florida, Cook played college football at the University of Illinois before entering the professional ranks. ^{[2] [1]} He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round (174th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft and quickly established himself as a reliable fullback, appearing in 109 regular-season games across his career. ^[1] Cook spent his first five seasons (2001–2005) and a return year in 2008 with the Buccaneers, while also playing for the Houston Texans from 2006 to 2007. ^[1] Primarily valued for his blocking in the backfield and on special teams, Cook also recorded modest offensive production with 84 receptions for 510 yards and three receiving touchdowns over his career. ^[1] His contributions helped support the Buccaneers' run-heavy offense during their championship run and provided depth for both franchises throughout the 2000s. ^[2]

Early life and education

Early life and background

Jameel Cook was born on February 8, 1979, in Miami, Florida. ^[1] His birth name is Jameel A. Cook. ^[1] He stands 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall. ^[1] Details about his early childhood or family background prior to his athletic pursuits are not widely documented in available sources.

High school football

Jameel Cook attended Miami Southridge High School in South Miami Heights, Florida, where he played high school football. ^[1] Detailed statistics, honors, or specific achievements from his high school career are not widely documented in available reliable sources. He later transitioned to college football at the University of Illinois. ^[1]

College career

Jameel Cook played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini. ^[3] Midway through the 1999 season, he transitioned to fullback to create another offensive threat out of the backfield, a move that highlighted his versatility as both a rusher and receiver. ^[3] Over the course of his collegiate career from 1998 to 2000, Cook amassed 508 rushing yards along with 60 receptions for 418 receiving yards and four touchdown catches. ^[4] This production as a receiving fullback helped position him for professional opportunities following his time at Illinois. ^[3]

Professional career

Draft and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2001–2005)

Jameel Cook was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round (174th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft following his college career at Illinois.^[1] He joined the team as a fullback and played for the Buccaneers from 2001 through 2005, appearing in 72 regular-season games with 17 starts during this initial tenure.^[1] Cook primarily served as a lead-blocking fullback, tasked with opening lanes for the running game and contributing extensively on special teams.^[5] His role was often complementary to Pro Bowl fullback Mike Alstott, though Cook stepped into starting duties when Alstott was sidelined by injuries, including eight starts in 2003 and five in 2004.^[5] He provided reliable blocking and occasional receiving out of the backfield, recording 55 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns across these seasons.^[1] In March 2005, the Buccaneers re-signed Cook as an unrestricted free agent to continue in his blocking and special teams capacity.^[5] He played in all 16 games that year, though without any starts, maintaining his value as a reserve fullback and core special teams performer before his departure from the team following the season.^[1]

Houston Texans (2006–2007)

Jameel Cook signed with the Houston Texans as an unrestricted free agent on March 11, 2006, following his release from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. ^[6] The Texans acquired him to strengthen their fullback position, capitalizing on his reputation as one of the NFL's top lead blockers to open running lanes for their backs. ^[6] In 2006, Cook appeared in 11 games for the Texans, rushing 3 times for 18 yards while contributing significantly in the passing game with 18 receptions for 107 yards. ^[7] He also recorded 5 tackles on special teams during the season. ^[7] Cook returned to the roster in 2007, playing in all 16 games as the team utilized him primarily in blocking duties with occasional touches. ^[7] He carried the ball 8 times for 24 yards and caught 8 passes for 40 yards, while adding 14 tackles on special teams. ^[7]

Return to Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2008)

In October 2008, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers re-signed fullback Jameel Cook as a free agent to bolster their injury-depleted fullback position. ^[8] Byron Storer had suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Carolina Panthers, leading to his placement on injured reserve, while B.J. Askew missed time with a hamstring injury. ^[8] Cook, who had spent his first five NFL seasons with the Buccaneers from 2001 to 2005 before playing for the Houston Texans in 2006 and 2007, was familiar with the team's offensive scheme under coach Jon Gruden. ^[8] He signed on October 14, 2008, and appeared in 10 games during the season, including one start. ^[1] Cook recorded three receptions for 24 yards with no touchdowns. ^[1] He added four combined tackles (all solo) and one fumble recovery. ^[7] His role emphasized lead blocking and special teams contributions, consistent with his career profile as a physical fullback. ^[8] This marked Cook's final season in the NFL, concluding his professional playing career after eight seasons. ^[1]

Achievements

Super Bowl XXXVII

Jameel Cook was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl XXXVII at the end of the 2002 season.^[9] As a fullback selected in the sixth round (No. 174 overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft, he played for the Buccaneers during the championship run and was part of the roster for the Super Bowl.^[9] He was one of two 2001 sixth-round selections, along with defensive end Ellis Wyms, noted for contributing to the team's Super Bowl XXXVII roster.^[9]

Career statistics and playing style

Jameel Cook played in 109 regular season games during his eight-year NFL career, primarily serving as a fullback whose main responsibility was blocking for running backs and providing pass protection. ^{[1] [7]} His offensive production was modest, consistent with the traditional demands of the fullback position, which emphasizes team-oriented blocking over personal statistics. ^[2] Career totals show 14 rushing attempts for 43 yards and no rushing touchdowns, averaging 3.1 yards per carry. ^{[1] [7]} In the passing game, he recorded 84 receptions for 510 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 6.1 yards per catch, often on short check-down routes or in the flat. ^{[1] [7]} These numbers reflect occasional involvement as a receiver while his primary value came from unheralded blocking duties that facilitated the success of teammates. ^[2]

Television appearances

NFL broadcasts

Jameel Cook appeared as himself in several NFL game broadcasts during his professional playing career, with credits limited exclusively to non-acting roles as a player on the field. ^[10] These appearances occurred when his teams—the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans—participated in nationally televised games, and they are documented solely on his IMDb profile. ^[10] He featured most frequently on NFL on FOX, appearing in 21 episodes between 2001 and 2008, typically credited as Self - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fullback or Self - Houston Texans Fullback. ^[10] Cook also appeared in 8 episodes of The NFL on CBS from 2003 to 2007, again credited as Self - Houston Texans Fullback or Self - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fullback. ^[10] Additional appearances include 3 episodes of ESPN's Sunday Night Football from 2002 to 2003, 2 episodes of NFL Monday Night Football from 2001 to 2003, and 1 episode of NBC Sunday Night Football in 2008, all credited as Self - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fullback. ^[10] No other television credits exist for Cook beyond these game-related self-appearances. ^[10]

Personal life

Family relations

Jameel Cook is a cousin of the actors Tia Mowry, Tamera Mowry-Housley, and Tahj Mowry. ^{[11] [12]} This family connection appears in Tia Mowry's IMDb profile trivia, which identifies her as the cousin of NFL fullback Jameel Cook. ^[11] A 2004 NCAA news article on Tahj Mowry's transition to college football at Savannah State similarly describes Cook as his cousin, noting at the time that Cook was in his fourth season playing fullback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. ^[12] No other details about Cook's family relations are widely documented in credible sources.

Post-retirement

Jameel Cook last played in the NFL during the 2008 season, appearing in 10 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.^[1] He was released by the team on September 5, 2009, effectively ending his professional football career.^[1] Following his retirement, Cook maintained a low public profile for much of the period, with limited publicly available information about his activities or professional pursuits. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to charges of stealing $105,000 from the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account by falsifying claims and was sentenced to 10 years of probation. ^{[13] [14]} Major sports databases and historical records contain no further updates or mentions of involvement in coaching, broadcasting, business ventures, or other notable public roles beyond this event.