Turns out, a true reunion might not have been in the cards for the Raiders and wide receiver Amari Cooper.
After re-signing with the team that drafted him No. 4 in 2015 toward the end of camp, Cooper reportedly informed the Raiders that he "no longer has the desire to play and intends to retire," per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Cooper's retirement is surprising not just because he only recently reunited with the Raiders, but because he talked about feeling like he had "unfinished business" with the team shortly after re-signing.
“ I always kind of had it in the back of my mind because when I was drafted here, I felt the expectations were high,” Cooper said last week of rejoining the Raiders. “I felt like I did OK, but I always knew why I was drafted. You draft a guy in the top five, you expect him to really help change the organization, and I felt like at times I showed flashes of doing that, but it wasn’t to my expectations. ... This time around, I feel like I have unfinished business. ... I’m excited about it.”
Cooper will instead hang it up after a 10-year career that saw him play for the Raiders, Cowboys, Browns and Bills. Over that time, the Alabama product amassed 711 receptions for 10,033 receiving yards and 64 touchdowns. While he was often overlooked due to his quiet nature, Cooper was a great receiver during his career, recording seven 1,000-yard receiving seasons and making five Pro Bowls.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Amari Cooper Surprisingly Decides to Retire Shortly After Reuniting With Raiders.
