After ruling out both Tyrod Taylor (groin) and Justin Fields (knee) for Sunday's game vs. the Jaguars, Jets HC Aaron Glenn told reporters on Friday that rookie Brady Cook will make his first NFL start at Jacksonville.
"Brady will be out starting quarterback this week," Glenn said. "He's gotten all the reps with the ones and Adrian ( [Martinez] ) will be our backup."
Cook (6-2, 215) will become the Jets' first rookie undrafted free agent to start a game since Bill Demory in 1973. Last Sunday, Cook came on in relief of Taylor against the Dolphins and hit on 14-of-30 passes for 163 yards with 2 INTs in a 34-10 loss. Coming in cold, Cook took his first snap with the Jets already in a 21-0 hole.
"It was just a tough situation of him not getting a chance to get all the reps," Glenn said. "But now this week, he's had a chance to get all the reps with [the] ones, get a chance to communicate with the O-line, with the receivers, with the tight ends, with the coaching staff on exactly how we want to go about playing this game. Man, I have all the confidence in the world. That's something I've stated from the very beginning -- he'll be a good player in this league, and he'll have his opportunity again this week."
A three-time team captain at Missouri, Cook played 46 games (39 starts) for the Tigers and completed 65.5% of his passes for 9,103 yards with 49 TDs and 15 INTs. He also rushed for 1,209 yards and 20 TDs, compiling 10,222 yards of total offense. The first Missouri QB to start in four bowl games and earn bowl game MVP honors in three different bowls, Cook initially signed with the Green & White on May 9.
"I also think you can lead just by influence, by the way you carry yourself," Glenn said. "I think he's doing a really good job of that, too. It's not just the competence part -- it's the influence part on how he works, the time he gets in in the morning, when he leaves, the way he goes in and commands the huddle, the way he gets the play-call out. All those things shows that he's been studying his butt off for this moment. And to me every quarterback and I think every one of them do should prepare like they're a starter because you just don't know when it's going to happen when you have to get in and be able to lead a group of men to score touchdowns.
"He's had a hell of a week. Again, we still have more work to do, but I'm looking forward to how he finishes this week off."
Cook will be the third quarterback to start for the Jets this season. Fields started eight of the first nine contests while Taylor started Week 3 in Tampa and got the call against the Falcons on Nov. 30 and last Sunday vs. Miami.
"Sometimes you only have one shot and when you have that one shot, you have to shine in that shot because you never know if you're going to get it again," Glenn said. "He understands that along with any other guy who gets an opportunity -- they understand that also. I am looking forward to him going out just like any of our other guys who've gotten their shot and is showing up. This will be a good week for him."
On Wednesday, the Jets brought Martinez back to the practice squad. He spent the past two summers with the Green & Whtie and passed for a team-leading 352 yards in the 2025 preseason.
"He knows our system and was here in training camp," Glenn said. "He just came right in and understands the flow of what we're going to do as far as an offense."
