Former Alabama WR Amari Cooper decides to retire from NFL, per report
By Derek Hryn
Published:
Former Alabama WR Amari Cooper’s return to the Las Vegas Raiders is officially over before it ever began.
According to NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo, the 5-time Pro Bowler has “informed the team that he no longer has the desire to play and intends to retire.” Cooper had rejoined the Raiders late in training camp, creating buzz about a potential reunion with the franchise that drafted him No. 4 overall in 2015. But just days later, his plans have changed.
Cooper 3-plus seasons with the then-Oakland Raiders before productive runs with the Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills. He finishes a decorated 10-year NFL career with 711 receptions, 10,033 receiving yards and 64 touchdowns.
Known as one of the league’s most polished route-runners, he leaves the game as one of the most consistent wideouts of his era. Cooper starred at Alabama from 2012-2014, where he became one of the most dominant receivers in SEC history. A two-time All-American and 2014 Biletnikoff Award winner, Cooper set school records with 228 catches for 3,463 yards and 31 touchdowns, and helped the Crimson Tide capture the 2012 national championship with Nick Saban.
Comeback no more: #Raiders WR Amari Cooper has informed the team that he no longer has the desire to play and intends to retire, per The Insiders.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 4, 2025
Cooper had signed at the end of camp in a hopeful reunion with the team that drafted. Now, he’s headed home from Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/jEZHPHBPBq
