Two games that were no doubt circled on this year’s schedule by former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden were the Bears game in week five and the game against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Those were the weeks Gruden was to face the two big name former top picks he traded away.
Week five, Gruden and the Raiders lost to Khalil Mack and the Bears in what would be Gruden’s final game as head coach before his forced resignation. That ensured Gruden wouldn’t be facing off against Amari Cooper and the Cowboys. But as of today, his former team will also not be facing ‘Coop’.
Today the four-time Pro Bowl receiver was placed on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list. If he were vaccinated, that designation likely wouldn’t cost him any more than the Cowboys’ game against the Chiefs this Sunday. But he’s not vaccinated, which means not only will Coop miss the Chiefs game, he’ll also miss the next game against the Raiders on a short week, due to the NFL’s 10-day quarantine mandate.
Coop has averaged over 1100 yards and seven touchdowns the past three seasons and was on pace to do it again, with 583 yards and five touchdowns in nine games. He won’t be on pace for that anymore after two weeks out.
This would’ve been Cooper’s first game against his former team. He would undoubtedly love to have been able to show up big time against them. But decisions have their consequences. In this case, Coop decided not to get vaccinated against a deadly virus so…(sad trombone).
