SmashMouth

As Jared Cook steps into the maw of several heated NFC South rivalries, he wants to assure his Saints team and its fans that his old Atlanta Falcons allegiances have long fallen away.

Cook, a Georgia native, revealed he was a Falcons fan in his childhood while speaking to media a day after agreeing to a two-year, $15.5 million deal with the Saints. He recalled how his father used to take him to McDonald's and then watch Falcons practice.

But things changed after the tight end spent his college years at the University of South Carolina, then was drafted by the Tennessee Titans No. 89 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft.

"As I got older and got into the league, that love faded real quick," he said.



Cook has played for four teams in his 10-year career -- the Titans, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders -- but will be taking his first step into the NFC South. Despite that, the big-bodied and athletic tight end said he's knows just how passionate the rivalries in the NFC South can be, as well as the Saints fan base.

"I didn't grow up a Saints fan, but I know how serious the rivalry is between the Saints and the Falcons as well as the Panthers and the Saints, playing in South Carolina," he said. "So I know how important it is to the organization and the fans. So I'm looking forward to it."

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