Even though he has received threats , St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook stressed Wednesday that he did not intend disrespect toward police when he and other Rams players made the `` hands up , do n't shoot '' gesture before Sunday 's game against the Oakland Raiders . Cook acknowledged to reporters Wednesday that he has received hateful messages on Facebook . `` Well , I mean that 's how people choose to operate their lives , '' Cook said . `` I feel like as men , just like me and you , are communicating right now , and just like me and you are talking right now , we should be able to sit down and talk about our problems . There is no reason to send threats or to hype up a situation that 's already intensified . We can sit down and talk about our problems . If we ca n't , then let 's just agree to disagree . There 's no wrong in that . People have different opinions . People have different views . We 're grown . '' Black St. Louis police officers : 'Hands up ' gesture by Rams players 'commendable ' When asked if he had received a lot of threats , Cook answered , `` Absolutely . '' The gesture that Cook and teammates Stedman Bailey , Tavon Austin , Chris Givens and Kenny Britt made when taking the field Sunday is the same one protesters have used to decry the death of unarmed black teen Michael Brown . That angered the St. Louis Police Officers Association , saying the players `` chose to ignore the mountains of evidence released from the St. Louis County Grand Jury '' after the jurors decided not to indict former Ferguson officer Darren Wilson . But Cook said Wednesday they respect police . `` Why would we come at the police in a disrespectful way when we work with the police in the community all of the time ? '' Cook said . `` The police are up here every day . There were four police cars here this morning when I pulled into work . The police have picnics during the summer in our parking lot where they bring their kids and children to meet and greet and have fun with us . So why would I disrespect a group of men that we have complete respect for in the community that helps us every day ? '' Cook said their action was an example of a peaceful protest. `` 'Hands up , do n't shoot ' is not just a Ferguson thing , '' Cook said . `` It 's a worldwide thing . People are doing it in New York . People are doing it in Florida . People are doing it on the West Coast . It 's not just about Ferguson . It 's a message worldwide that for young adults that you can protest and you can do things peacefully without getting out of line . '' The NFL said earlier this week that the players wo n't be disciplined . Complete coverage of what 's happening in Ferguson .
" tight end Jared Cook , other Rams made ` ` it up , do n't shoot '' gesture " . Cook says he meant no harm to police . He also says he has received hateful messages and threats on Twitter .