New England and Philadelphia are in the midst of the second half in a hotly contested Super Bowl. The Patriots, however, will have to play the rest of the game without one of their biggest offensive weapons.
Early in the second quarter, with New England driving and down 9-3, Brandin Cooks hauled in a deep pass from Tom Brady. Cooks had some running room, but as he looked for a seam, he was blind-sided by a brutal hit from Eagles defensive back Malcolm Jenkins.
After the hit, Cooks lay motionless on the ground.
He was ruled out from returning with a "head injury"—though New England did not specify that it was a concussion, that seems to go without saying.
Naturally, people were taken aback by the vicious hit to the head. It was a sobering moment in the grand spectacle that is the Super Bowl.
Cooks being sidelined is a huge loss for New England.
This season, Cooks, whom New England had acquired from New Orleans in the offseason, racked up 65 receptions for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns. The speedy Cooks was Brady's favorite down-field target.