The Las Vegas Raiders can't seem to top being a dysfunctional mess, as they got some interesting news on Thursday.
The Raiders did undergo some key change this offseason, as Pete Carroll and Geno Smith are the two major new faces on the sidelines. The duo enjoyed moderate success with the Seattle Seahawks a couple of years ago, but they weren't much more than average.
But that's honestly what the Raiders are missing - they need some average stability for a few years, and they figured that more was on the way when they signed Amari Cooper to a one-year deal. Cooper was drafted by the Raiders about a decade ago. However...
Amari Cooper just signed with the Raiders... and now he's retiring
About 10 days after signing with the Las Vegas Raiders, Amari Cooper is retiring:
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
The five-time Pro Bowler played 10 years in the NFL, and four of those with the Raiders. He also played for the Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, and Buffalo Bills. Cooper amassed 711 receptions for 10,033 yards and 64 touchdowns.
However, he was ineffective in 2024, catching just 44 passes for 547 yards and four touchdowns. It's clear that the veteran WR wasn't close to the player he once was and lost a step or two. After 154 total regular season games in the NFL, Amari Cooper is hanging it up.
The Las Vegas Raiders were likely relying on Amari Cooper to some extend in 2025, so it's a bit hilarious that he's deciding to retire all of a sudden. The Denver Broncos swept the Raiders in 2024, and that was their first sweep of the team in a decade.
Denver made a ton of progress in the 2024 NFL Season, and seeing Amari Cooper retire does make their jobs a bit easier when the two teams play this season.