Chris Cooley earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl honor in 2008 after leading the Redskins in receptions with a career-best 83 catches for 849 receiving yards. An outstanding receiving threat, Cooley’s 314 career receptions is the second-most by a tight end in Redskins franchise history. He also has 28 career touchdown catches, including a career-high with eight in 2007. Regarded as one of the team’s more colorful characters, Cooley writes a popular blog on the Internet. Teammates have nicknamed him Captain Chaos.
How Acquired: Selected by the Redskins in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft
Pro:
Owns 314 career receptions for 3,457 yards and 28 touchdowns
Has not missed a game in his five NFL seasons
Appeared in 80 career games with 73 starts
Earned Pro Bowl berths in the 2007 and 2008 seasons
Ranked seventh all-time in Redskins history with 314 career receptions
Has at least one reception in 72 consecutive games, dating back to Week 9 of the 2004 season
Enters the season ranked second in Redskins history in receptions by a tight end (314), second in receiving yards by a tight end (3,457) and second in touchdowns by a tight end (28)
Ranked eighth in club history in touchdown receptions (28)
Owns the club’s longest consecutive starting streak with 63 games heading into 2009 season
2008 Season (WAS):
Started all 16 regular season games
Led the Redskins offense with 83 catches for 849 yards, also posted one touchdown catch
Named to his second Pro Bowl
Caught a clutch 23-yard pass, one of five on the day, to help set up a key Redskins touchdown vs. New Orleans (9/14)
Grabbed an 18-yard TD pass from Antwaan Randle El on a wide receiver option for the Redskins’ go-ahead score at Philadelphia (10/5)
2007 Season (WAS):
Led the team with eight touchdown receptions; marked the first time a tight end led the team in touchdown receptions (since Jerry Smith had 9 touchdown catches in 1970)
Named to his first Pro Bowl and caught three passes for 45 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown reception from QB Matt Hasselbeck--a 42-30 victory for the NFC in the 2008 Pro Bowl
Wore jersey No. 21 in honor of the late Sean Taylor at the Pro Bowl
Started all 16 regular season games (third straight season) and one postseason contest at Seattle (1/5)
Led the team in receptions (66) and touchdown receptions (8); which were also career best
Finished second on the team in receiving yards (786)
Recorded career-highs in receptions (9) and receiving yards (105) at Green Bay in Week 6 (10/14)
2006 Season (WAS):
Started in all 16 regular-season games
Led the Redskins in receptions (57) and receiving yards (734) and tied for a team-high in touchdown catches (6)
Recorded a career-long 66-yard reception vs. Carolina (11/26)
2005 Season (WAS):
Started in all 16 regular-season games and two postseason contests
Broke the club record for receptions by a tight end with 71 (previous mark of 67 set by Jerry Smith in 1967)
More than doubled his totals from his rookie season in receptions (71) and receiving yards (774 yards)
Totaled a then career-high seven touchdown receptions
Had a career-high three touchdown receptions vs. Dallas (12/18)
Recorded a postseason career-best 52-yard reception at Seattle (1/14)
2004 Season (WAS):
Played in 16 regular-season games with nine starts
Totaled 37 receptions for 314 yards (9.8.avg.) and six touchdowns
Had a season-high seven receptions at Pittsburgh (11/29)
Tallied his first career touchdown catch on a two-yard out from Mark Brunell at the New York Giants (9/19)
Earned first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors at Utah State
Qualified as a finalist for the Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end; was team captain and also voted Offensive MVP
Led the nation’s tight ends in receptions and yards when he snagged a career-high 62 passes for 732 yards and six touchdowns; became the first non-receiver to lead the team in catches since 1983
Named an All-State selection at Logan High School in Logan, Utah where he caught 46 passes for 625 yards as a tight end and posted eight sacks as a defensive end as a senior
An outstanding wrestler, he was undefeated his senior year and earned the state title and All-American honors
Graduated in August 2003 from Utah State with a degree in art
The son of Nancy and Ken Cooley
Married Christy Oglevee, a former Redskins Cheerleader, during the 2008 offseason
Maintains a popular blog that discusses his life on and off the football field
Established an education initiative in Feb. 2009 in which he set up a series of $25,000 college scholarships for eight Washington, D.C.-area high schools
