Legendary Mississippi State football star being remembered in Starkville

MISSISSIPPI STATE, Miss. (WCBI) – Legendary Mississippi State football star Johnie Cooks is being remembered in Starkville and around the country.

Cooks died on July 6.

Cooks made a name for himself at Mississippi State with three All-SEC awards. He was a top NFL draft choice in 1982, going in the second spot to the Baltimore Colts.

Cooks played for the Colts, moved with the team to Indianapolis, and played with the Giants as part of a Super Bowl-winning team.

But he is remembered by his long-time friends as a kind man, a loyal Bulldog, and a mentor to young people.

“Johnie was a great ambassador for Mississippi State and he cared about this institution, not just sports but academic mission and he wanted to see this university grow and advance. And you know he said in one of his last interviews how much he loved just being a fan, watching things grow and develop here. He didn’t play baseball, but he was as thrilled as anyone about the national championship,” said Sid Salter, Director of Public Affairs at MSU.

Johnie Cooks was 64. Funeral arrangements are pending.

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