Five-time Pro Bowl WR Amari Cooper to retire from NFL one week after signing
That was quick. After one week, Amari Cooper Retires
Amari Cooper has chosen to step away from football, informing the Las Vegas Raiders that he plans to retire, according to multiple NFL Network reports.
The veteran receiver had just rejoined the team that drafted him fourth overall in 2015, signing with Las Vegas a little more than a week ago in what looked like a storybook reunion. His return was expected to bolster the Raiders’ passing game, but as the team prepared for its opener against the Patriots, Cooper struggled to get himself physically ready. At 31, he decided it was time to move on after a decade in the league.
Cooper’s career began in Oakland, where he quickly emerged as one of the league’s top young receivers, recording over 3,100 yards and 19 touchdowns in 52 games. In 2018, the Raiders shipped him to Dallas during a roster overhaul that also saw Khalil Mack traded. Cooper thrived with the Cowboys, piling up nearly 3,900 yards and 27 touchdowns before being dealt to Cleveland in 2022 for salary cap reasons.
He remained a model of consistency for most of his career, with seven 1,000-yard campaigns and five Pro Bowl selections. Only in 2024 did his production start to slip, as drops became an issue late in his stint with the Browns. He was traded midseason to Buffalo, where he scored in his debut but struggled to stay involved afterward, adding just one more touchdown before season’s end.
By the time he walked away, Cooper had established himself as one of the most reliable receivers of his era, closing out his career with 711 catches, 10,033 receiving yards, and 64 touchdowns.