Ex-Patriots Talib and Cooks say past with New England won't give them an edge in Super Bowl LIII

In his year-plus with the Patriots, Aqib Talib distinguished himself as someone who wasn’t afraid to say whatever came to mind.



Speaking with reporters on Thursday, both Talib and Brandin Cooks (the two most prominent ex-Patriots on the Los Angeles roster) went out of their way to praise New England, with Talib calling Tom Brady “the GOAT” and saying Julian Edelman was a “great route-runner,” while Cooks’ added Bill Belichick was a “genius.”

“One of the best to do it,” Talib said of Brady, his teammate in 2012 and 2013. “A super-competitive guy. He’s like an offensive coordinator on the field.”

“You’re talking about a genius on the side of that ball (and) a special guy as well,” Cooks said when asked about Belichick. “Look at the amount of time he’s been doing it and having so much success. I think that speaks for itself right there.”

Both dismissed the idea their time in New England could have an impact when it comes to game-planning for Super Bowl LIII. Talib noted it’s been almost five years since he played with the Patriots, while Cooks, who was a part of last year’s Patriots’ team that lost to Philly in the Super Bowl, pointed to the constant adjustments New England makes from game-to-game as evidence any sort of intel he might have could already be dated.