Bengals No. 1 center as training camp began, Cook suffered preseason injury but returned to see action in Games 13-16 and Wild Card playoff, including a return to starting lineup for the last three of those contests ... Spent Games 1-12 on Reserve/Injured list (designated for return) ... Placed on R/I due to ankle injury in preseason game Aug. 23 vs. Green Bay ... A former college free agent, he had started 50 consecutive Bengals games (regular season and postseason) through end of 2011, tied at the time for longest streak on current team ... Joined Bengals as a practice squad player in his rookie season of 2007, after being waived in final preseason cuts by Minnesota.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Signed with Minnesota as college free agent on 5-4-07 ... Waived by Minnesota on 9-1-07 ... Signed 9-5-07 to Cincinnati practice squad ... Signed to Bengals roster on 12-31-07 ... Signed Bengals contract extension on 9-2-11.
2012 RECAP: Started first three preseason games, but suffered ankle injury Aug. 23 vs. Green Bay ... Placed Sept. 4 on Reserve/Injured list, as player designated for possible return ... Retuned to practice Nov. 28 on roster exemption, activated to 53-player roster Dec. 8, and returned to action Dec. 9 vs. Dallas ... Played in Games 13-16, with starts Dec. 23 at Pittsburgh and Dec. 30 vs. Baltimore ... Also started in Wild Card playoff 1-5-13 at Houston ... In return to action vs. Dallas, helped support blocking effort for team’s 146 net rushing yards ... In Thursday night win Dec. 13 at Philadelphia, aided rushing effort of 41-for-157 (3.8-yard average) and season-best 37:40 possession time, with BenJarvus Green-Ellis (106) becoming only the second player in Bengals history to get four 100-yard rushing totals in a span of five team games.
PREVIOUS SEASONS: 2007—Played in all four Minnesota preseason games after signing as college free agent ... On Bengals practice squad for Games 1-16, and was signed after season to Bengals offseason roster.
2008—Saw his first NFL action, playing in Games 2-6 on special teams, but was placed on Reserve/Injured list Oct. 17, due to a dislocated toe suffered in a collision during pregame warmups Oct. 5 at Dallas.
2009—Earned starting position in preseason, and was praised by coaches as the “glue” of a revamped unit as Bengals captured AFC North title ... Helped Bengals finish ninth in NFL rushing (128.5 yards per game), including a team record of eight games of 100 or more yards by individual backs ... Aided 141-yard rushing game by Cedric Benson on Sept. 20 at Green Bay ... Helped lead fourth-quarter drives of 85 and 71 yards during comeback win Sept. 27 vs. Pittsburgh ... On Oct. 11 at Baltimore, helped Benson (27-for-120) become the first player in 40 games to rush for 100 yards against Baltimore ... Helped Benson rush for a career-high 189 yards Oct. 25 vs. Chicago, while also aiding a sack-free performance up front ... On Dec. 27 vs. Kansas City, supported Benson’s 133-yard game for his Bengals-record sixth 100-yard game of season ... Supported Benson for Bengals postseason-record 169 rushing yards in Wild Card playoff 1-9-10 vs. N.Y. Jets.
2010—Contributor to Bengals ranking second in AFC and sixth in NFL in fewest sacks allowed per passing play ... Offense allowed no sacks for 100 straight passing plays to close the season, including the last three full games ... Aided the offensive output of 469 total yards Oct. 24 at Atlanta (most by Bengals since Game 2 of 2007) ... Supported 149 rushing yards, including 144 by Cedric Benson, Oct. 10 vs. Tampa Bay.
2011—Helped offense rank tied for fourth in NFL in fewest sacks allowed (25) ... On Sept. 11 at Cleveland, aided blocking effort that helped produce Cedric Benson’s 121-yard, one-TD rushing performance ... Supported run-blocking effort Oct. 2 vs. Buffalo that paved way for 171 yards and 5.3 average, including 104 yards by Benson ... On Oct. 16 vs. Indianapolis, supported pass-protection effort that held Colts for the first time on season without a sack ... On Nov. 20 at Baltimore, helped lead blocking effort for 483 yards of net offense ... On Nov. 27 vs. Cleveland, helped lead protection effort for 389 yards of total offense, including 106 rushing yards by Benson ... Aided 165-yard rushing total Dec. 24 vs. Arizona.
COLLEGE: Closed Michigan State career with 35 consecutive starts, and played in Hula Bowl following 2006 campaign ... Played from 2003-06, following redshirt year in 2002 ... Named second-team All-Big Ten as senior, leading team in pancake blocks (48) for second straight year ... Started 11 games as junior for club that set school record for passing yards (295.5 yards per game).
PERSONAL: Hometown is Macomb, Mich. ... Attended Dakota High School, where he earned Class A all-state honors from The Detroit News while also lettering in basketball and track ... Holds degree in construction management from Michigan State ... Married (wife Lisa) ... Hobbies include hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities.
