Amari Cooper Retires from NFL Days Before Raiders’ Season Opener
LAS VEGAS: In a surprise move, five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper has informed the Las Vegas Raiders that he will retire from the NFL, just days before the team’s 2025 season opener against the New England Patriots, a source confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.
Cooper, 31, signed a one-year deal with the Raiders on August 26, calling his return to the team that drafted him fourth overall in 2015 a “full-circle moment.” Raiders coach Pete Carroll had expected Cooper to play a major role this season while mentoring rookie receivers Dont’e Thornton Jr. and Jack Bech.
His sudden retirement leaves the Raiders with a thinner receiver lineup that includes Bech, Thornton, Tre Tucker, and Jakobi Meyers, who has reportedly requested a trade.
Over his career, Cooper recorded 711 receptions for 10,033 yards and 64 touchdowns, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards in seven seasons. He played for the Raiders, Cowboys, Browns, and Bills, with a career-best 1,250 yards in 2023.