Cooper Rush, quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, led his team to a 26-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16.
He completed 26 of 35 passes for 292 yards and one touchdown, marking a strong performance since taking over for the injured Dak Prescott.
In 11 games this season, Rush has thrown for 1,697 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Siblings
Cooper has three siblings, one older brother named Michael and two younger brothers, Dillon and Owen.
The Rush family is supportive of each other’s endeavors, with Cooper’s brothers also having pursued education at the University of Michigan.
College career
Rush played college football at Central Michigan University from 2013 to 2016.
He was a highly regarded quarterback coming out of high school in Charlotte, Michigan, and chose Central Michigan due to its strong football program and coaching staff.
Rush became the starting quarterback early in his freshman year, showcasing his talent by throwing for over 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns.
His impressive performance earned him the starting role for the subsequent seasons.
Over his four years at Central Michigan, Rush accumulated remarkable statistics, finishing with a total of 12,894 passing yards and 90 touchdowns.
He ranks second in both passing yards and touchdowns in the history of Central Michigan football.
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In his senior season in 2016, he threw for over 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns, leading the team to a bowl game appearance.
His achievements during college earned him recognition, including being named to the All-MAC (Mid-American Conference) team.
NFL career
After completing his college career, Rush entered the 2017 NFL Draft but went undrafted.
Shortly after the draft, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent.
Initially, he spent time on the Cowboys’ practice squad, but his performance during training camp impressed coaches, leading to his promotion to the active roster.
Rush served primarily as a backup to Dak Prescott during his early years with the Cowboys.
He made his NFL debut in a regular-season game against the Washington Redskins in 2017.
His notable moments came during the 2021 season when he stepped in as a starter for an injured Dak Prescott against the Minnesota Vikings.
In that game, he led the Cowboys to a 20-16 victory, throwing for 325 yards and two touchdowns.
In the 2022 season, Rush gained further attention as he started several games while Prescott was sidelined due to injury.
He finished with a record of 4-1 as a starter during that stretch, helping maintain the team’s playoff hopes with his poise under pressure and effective decision-making.
Accolades
Rush has received numerous accolades throughout his football career, both in college and the NFL.
While at Central Michigan University, he was recognized as a National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete in 2016, a prestigious honor awarded to only 12 players nationwide.
He maintained a remarkable 3.86 GPA in actuarial science and was a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which honors college football’s top scholar-athlete.
Rush was also a three-time Academic All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) selection and earned the title of MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete in 2014-15.
He was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America Second Team in 2014 and received the Herb Deromedi Most Valuable Player Award during his junior year.
His performance on the field included setting multiple records, ranking second all-time at CMU in passing yards (12,894) and touchdowns (90).
In addition to his college achievements, Rush has been recognized for his leadership and excellence as an alumnus, receiving the 2024 Mission Award for Excellence from Lansing Catholic High School.
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