James Cook Talks Billbonus 51s Contract Situation at Poker Tournament

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook answered questions about his current NFL contract situation during a Celebrity Poker Tour (CPT) event in Las Vegas.

The University of Georgia standout is entering his fourth season and last year of his rookie contract. Cook will be a free agent following the 2025 season, and coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, he'll be looking to get paid. But the NFL star who said he was playing poker for the first time and the team he's spent his entire brief career with haven't yet agreed on a new deal.

"However it works out, it works out," Cook told PokerNewswhen asked if he anticipates a deal forthcoming. "I mean, I just make sure the business is a business, and just do whatever I can to always be there for my teammates, and however it works out, it works out. And then we go play football."

Some NFL experts have questioned if Cook would hold out for a new contract prior to the start of the season. Bills General Manager Brandon Beane, however, said during an interview with Adam Schein on Mad Dog Sports Radio that he doesn't anticipate a holdout from his starting running back. Cook isn't ready to publicly commit one way or the other.

"I necessarily don't want to talk about it right now, because it's like, it's something I want to hold in to myself ... just let the business take care of the business," Cook said about the possibility of a holdout.

NFL Star Gone Quickly from Celebrity Poker Tour

Cook showed up at the PokerGO Studio next to Aria on Saturday evening to get away from the contract situation and to play poker for the first time, against fellow NFL athletes and other celebrities.

"Honestly, this is my first time playing poker, so I'm very nervous," Cook said with a laugh. "So, I don't know what I'm doing. It's just fun though, bro. It's just about having fun and being around good people."

Cook wasn't bluffing when he said he had no prior poker experience. He quickly bluffed off half his stack to Sketch, a TikTok'er, with 9♣4♥, and then lost more chips before cracking pocket aces when he hit a flush to rebuild his stack a bit. But it all came to an end moments later when he bluffed off his stack with five-high.

The Celebrity Poker Tour event is a freeroll, so he didn't lose any money. But the winner, to be crowned Saturday night, will take home $50,000. Cook was one of dozens of current and former NFL stars in attendance, a list that includes Adrian Peterson, Clinton Portis, Kyle Juszczyk, and Alshon Jeffrey.