MOUNT HEALTHY, Ohio — Hamilton High School football coach Arvie Crouch admits to feeling torn about this Sunday's AFC championship game.
Crouch has been a loyal supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals for many years. But, he coached Kansas City Chiefs rookie safety and former University of Cincinnati star Bryan Cook at Mount Healthy High School.
"I'm a Bengals fan through and through all the way," Crouch said. "There is no question about it. But, I'm always a fan of the people my kids are playing for. So I will be honest — I will be a little upset if the Bengals lose but I will be very happy if Cook wins."
Crouch, the Mount Healthy head coach from 2009 to 2021, knew Cook, a 2017 Mount Healthy graduate, was destined for a special journey in football.
Cook wasn't heavily recruited by college programs. But, he proved any doubters wrong in the years that followed high school.
"From his sophomore to his junior year he literally grew about a foot," Crouch said. "His attitude is great. His work ethic is phenomenal. And I knew something great was going to happen with him especially when he started competing at the level he's competing."
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Cook, a second-round selection by Kansas City in April 2022, has 21 solo tackles including one sack this season for the Chiefs (14-3), who play host to the Bengals (12-4) at 6:30 p.m. Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
Cook, who had just one scholarship as a high school senior during the 2016 season, has made a strong impression in the NFL, including during red-zone situations. Crouch believes Cook will have a lengthy career in the NFL due to his work ethic and determination.
Cook played in 16 regular-season games - mostly as a rotational safety and special teams contributor. He earned 33 tackles overall and one start.
"He's outstanding; he's a great human being," Crouch said. "I was lucky to get to coach him at Mount Healthy, and I'm just glad everything is coming together for his hard work and life he's had."
Cook's humility was evident this past June when he ran on the school's field at Mount Healthy. That's when current Mount Healthy coach Jordan Stevens asked Cook to speak to the team. Cook gladly obliged.
"Some of the things that he said reached far beyond the football field," Stevens said. "That's where I was just wowed by him. He is the true definition of Mount Healthy because at Mount Healthy you don't get all the glitz and glamour. He's the definition of perseverance."
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