Just as quickly as he reappeared, Amari Cooper is gone again. The Las Vegas Raiders were one of a number of NFL teams to welcome back a familiar face at wide receiver this offseason, signing the veteran and former first-round pick to fortify their depth, but he no longer wants to play.
Cooper is still just 31 years old, but saw a major dropoff in his play last year after two great years with the Browns in 2022 and 2023.
As much as his initial signing with the Raiders took everybody off guard, the news of his retirement is even more shocking. And as you would expect, people are already having fun at the Raiders' expense...
Amari Cooper shocks Raiders fans with abrupt retirement decision
Amari Cooper’s 2nd stint with the Raiders pic.twitter.com/m9RJvgGEmq
— Sleeper (@SleeperHQ) September 4, 2025
With just days before the start of the regular season where the Raiders will begin the Pete Carroll era against the Patriots in New England, Cooper has thrown another wrench in the team's plans at receiver. Thankfully, they didn't really have all that long to adjust where they were at previously, as Cooper signed on less than 10 days ago. If he was included in the gameplan, it was probably minimal anyway.
Cooper was initially drafted by the Raiders all the way back in the 2014 offseason, a first-round pick out of Alabama. He ended up getting traded to the Dallas Cowboys, where he averaged over 1,000 yards per season.
In fact, for his NFL career, Cooper had over 10,000 receiving yards in 154 games played, averaging over 1,100 yards per 17 games. It was an understated, underrated career for a guy who probably didn't get nearly enough credit for the pressure he put on defenses when he was at his best.
Playing some of your best years in Cleveland will do that...
Cooper was a five-time Pro Bowl selection over the course of his NFL career, including the first two years of his NFL career with the Silver and Black.
He signed a one-year contract that was worth up to $6 million with per-game roster bonuses and other incentives, but now, the Raiders are off the hook. While the excitement of bringing the veteran Cooper back into the mix, combined with the disappointment of seeing him retire, undoubtedly has Raider Nation in a bit of a twilight zone right now, it's probably for the best.
The Raiders will get a much better look at their young group of skill players, including rookie receivers Dont'e Thornton and Jack Bech. And more targets for Brock Bowers is never a bad idea.