Amari Cooper took about a week to come to terms with the fact that he preferred watching football from the comfort of his couch.
Unexpectedly, he shared that after signing with the Raiders, he was considering retirement. Reports suggest that the 31-year-old said he has “no longer a desire to play.”
Initially, Cooper didn’t find a team during the first wave of free agency, which made it look like he might miss the season altogether. However, the Raiders stepped in and signed him to a one-year contract on August 26th.
This marked a return to the franchise that originally drafted him—fourth overall in the 2015 NFL Draft—when they were still based in Oakland.
“It feels good. Feels like a Full Surkal moment,” he remarked after signing. “I’m excited about this opportunity and ready to take it on.”
He added, “This is a great chance to show that I still have some juice left. I want to demonstrate that.”
Heading into his 11th season, Cooper started training, but just three days before the Raiders’ opener against the Patriots, he opted to hang up his cleats.
This decision followed a season where he recorded 44 catches for 547 yards and four touchdowns, after an injury-plagued 2024 that had him struggling with the Browns and Bills.
During his time with the Browns, Cooper dealt with a wrist injury that limited him, resulting in only six catches for 41 yards in three playoff games.
The former Alabama standout is a five-time Pro Bowl selection, finishing his career with 711 receptions, 64 touchdowns, and over 10,000 receiving yards.
He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark seven times and had a career-high of 92 receptions in 2020, 1,250 yards in 2023, and 9 touchdowns in 2022.
Cooper played for the Browns until mid-season deals sent him to Dallas, where he remained until a deal in 2021 sent him back to the Browns.
His experience would have brought a valuable presence to the young Raiders squad as they prepped for their first road game against the Patriots.
Meanwhile, the Raiders are dealing with uncertainty surrounding veteran Jacobi Myers, who is seeking a trade that the team hasn’t agreed to.
The upcoming game will mark the coaching debuts of Raiders’ Pete Carroll and New England’s Mike Vrabel, with the Raiders entering as 2.5-point underdogs.
