![](https://ftw.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2022/11/cooks.jpeg?w=1000&h=600&crop=1)
Houston Texans receiver Brandin Cooks wasn’t at practice on Tuesday, which signaled a strong expectation that he would be traded ahead of the 4 p.m. Eastern Time deadline.
Well, he didn’t exactly try to hide his preferred result. He no longer wanted to have any part of the 1-5 Texans’ long rebuilding project.
Cooks spent much of the day liking trade rumors on Twitter, but when the 4 p.m. deadline came and went, the 29-year-old receiver remained a member of the Texans. He responded to the disappointing news by taking a page out of a viral 2017 tweet and implying that he had been deceived by the Texans front office.
Don’t take a man’s kindness for granted. Covered for the lies for too long those days are done. Crossed the line with playing with my career 🏹
— Brandin Cooks (@brandincooks) November 1, 2022
The Texans likely did shop around for Cooks, but you always have to be prepared for the possibility of trades falling through. While Cooks’ very public reaction is going to create an awkward situation in the Texans locker room, it did make for a hilarious afternoon on NFL Twitter.
Everyone seemed to have the same response to Cooks’ tweet.
This was how Twitter reacted
Man this tweet is never wrong https://t.co/bDohYndMgw pic.twitter.com/C6rrMKLkU2
— Matt by popular demand (@dbbmatt) November 1, 2022
— Kevin ES (@HIKEVIN_) November 1, 2022
— TuaTSzn𓅓(5-3) (@Tua__szn) November 1, 2022
— Billy Flowers (@halfblackmcvay) November 1, 2022
— Maybe: Luke (@lukebellus4) November 1, 2022
@CDCarter13 say the line
— Davis Mattek (@DavisMattek) November 1, 2022
This tweet continues to be proven true year after year. https://t.co/xEU2xgBgmv pic.twitter.com/INwA0PvXkh
— Gaven (@Gaven2424) November 1, 2022
Evergreen lol https://t.co/RcnePSmsfW pic.twitter.com/9zA9OON8rT
— Pasta Guru (@JayZito) November 1, 2022
Again https://t.co/mkl32DRXNm pic.twitter.com/isOJgTsVoV
— Ben Natan (@thebennatan) November 1, 2022
Like clockwork https://t.co/BQya0laMh3 pic.twitter.com/guo69AHGmJ
— Noah 🌧 🦇 🎃 (@NGLP124) November 1, 2022
Greatest tweet ever https://t.co/UZKBXgZcsF pic.twitter.com/HMd90cbnRA
— D (@GunslingerViews) November 1, 2022
Every time. https://t.co/CRdFrFKDj8 pic.twitter.com/T4Tr9HsDez
— Bruce Nolan (@BruceExclusive) November 1, 2022
That’s like the NFL’s version of the “Tungsten Arm” O’Doyle tweet. It’s never wrong.