Amari Cooper

Amari Cooper Bio

Amari Cooper (born June 17, 1994) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, winning the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver and earning unanimous All-American honors in 2014. Cooper was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2015 NFL draft and went on to compile 711 receptions for 10,033 yards and 64 receiving touchdowns across his NFL career.

Across his decade in the league, Amari Cooper earned five Pro Bowl selections and became known for big-game performances, including a 217-yard effort with the Dallas Cowboys and a 265-yard franchise-record game with the Cleveland Browns. After a brief 2025 reunion with the Raiders, he announced his retirement from the NFL.

Early Life and Background

Amari Cooper was born on June 17, 1994, in Miami, Florida, where he grew up and attended Miami Northwestern Senior High School. As a junior, he missed time with an injury but still emerged as one of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s primary targets, finishing with 16 receptions for 175 yards and four touchdowns. Cooper also starred in basketball and track at Miami Northwestern, and he made a strong impression at Alabama’s summer camp, which quickly produced a scholarship offer from head coach Nick Saban.

As a senior, Cooper totaled 33 receptions for 722 yards and six touchdowns, earning first-team FHSAA 8A All-State honors and a No. 4 ranking on the Orlando Sentinel’s Florida Top 100. He showcased his big-play ability at the 2012 Under Armour All-America Game, where he produced a 75-yard touchdown reception and a 93-yard punt return for a score. He chose the University of Alabama over Florida State, Miami, and Ohio State, announcing his verbal commitment on September 22, 2011.

Path to American Football

Cooper arrived at Alabama as a consensus four-star prospect, listed among the top wide receivers in the country by Rivals.com, 247Sports, Scout.com, and ESPNU. He committed to the Crimson Tide in the fall of his senior year and enrolled as part of the 2012 recruiting class. Coaches quickly identified him as a future featured target within Nick Saban’s pro-style offense.

His transition to the college level came immediately, as Cooper played in all 14 games as a true freshman and started the final nine. He led the team with 59 receptions for 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns, breaking Alabama freshman records previously held by Julio Jones and setting a school record with his 11 receiving scores. Those performances established Cooper as a rising star and laid the foundation for a decorated three-year college career.

Amari Cooper Career

Alabama Crimson Tide (2012–2014)

As a sophomore in 2013, Cooper played in 12 games and posted 45 receptions for a team-high 736 yards and four touchdowns. His standout performance came against Auburn in the Iron Bowl, when he recorded six receptions for 178 yards, including a 99-yard touchdown reception from quarterback A. J. McCarron that set an Alabama record. He also added nine receptions for 121 yards in the Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma.

Cooper’s junior season in 2014 elevated him to national prominence. He broke Alabama’s single-game receiving record with 224 yards against Tennessee and later matched it against Auburn. For the year, he posted 124 receptions for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns, both school records, and his 124 catches also set an SEC record and led the NCAA. Cooper finished third in Heisman Trophy voting, won the Biletnikoff Award, the Paul Warfield Trophy, and SEC Offensive Player of the Year, and became Alabama’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns before declaring for the 2015 NFL draft.

Oakland Raiders (2015–2018)

The Oakland Raiders selected Cooper with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. He made an immediate impact, posting a franchise rookie-record eight receptions for 134 yards against the Cleveland Browns and passing Tim Brown’s rookie receptions mark during his first season. Cooper finished his rookie year with 1,000 receiving yards, becoming the first Raiders rookie to reach that milestone, and earned a Pro Bowl nod along with PFWA All-Rookie Team honors.

Cooper followed with 83 receptions for 1,153 yards and five touchdowns in 2016, earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection. His third season, however, was hampered by an ankle injury, and he finished with career lows of 48 receptions for 680 yards. He rebounded with 75 receptions for 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018 before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys in October.

Dallas Cowboys (2018–2021)

Traded to Dallas on October 22, 2018, Cooper quickly revitalized his career. On Thanksgiving, he delivered eight receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns against the Washington Redskins, then set a career high with 10 receptions for 217 yards and three scores against the Philadelphia Eagles two weeks later. He added seven receptions for 106 yards in a Wild Card victory over the Seattle Seahawks and earned his third Pro Bowl selection.

In 2019, Cooper posted a career-high 1,189 receiving yards and was named to his fourth Pro Bowl. He signed a five-year, $100 million extension in March 2020 and continued producing, registering 92 receptions for 1,114 yards in 2020 and 68 receptions for 865 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns in 2021. Across his Cowboys tenure, Cooper was a model of consistency and a featured offensive weapon.

Cleveland Browns (2022–2024)

Cooper was traded to the Cleveland Browns on March 16, 2022, and quickly delivered 78 receptions for 1,160 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns in his first season. In 2023, he posted 72 receptions for a career-high 1,250 yards and five touchdowns, highlighted by an 11-catch, 265-yard performance against the Houston Texans that broke the Browns’ single-game receiving record previously held by Josh Gordon. That showing also made him the second player in NFL history with 200-yard games for three different teams, alongside Terrell Owens, and earned him his fifth career Pro Bowl selection.

His 2024 season in Cleveland was more difficult, as he struggled to connect with quarterback Deshaun Watson before a midseason trade. Across his Browns career, Cooper became the first Cleveland wide receiver with multiple 1,000-yard seasons, cementing his place in franchise history.

Buffalo Bills (2024) and Las Vegas Raiders (2025)

On October 15, 2024, Cooper was traded to the Buffalo Bills, where he caught four passes for 66 yards and a touchdown in his debut against the Tennessee Titans. He finished the 2024 season with 44 receptions for 547 yards and four touchdowns in a Buffalo uniform, contributing to the team’s offensive efforts down the stretch.

On August 25, 2025, Cooper signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, reuniting him with the franchise that drafted him. Ten days later, on September 4, 2025, he announced his retirement from the NFL after 10 professional seasons.

Notable Events and Milestones

Cooper’s career was defined by signature performances, including his 217-yard outing against Philadelphia, his 265-yard franchise-record day with the Browns, and his 99-yard touchdown reception at Alabama. He retired as one of only a handful of players to post 200-yard receiving games for three different teams, and he finished his career with five Pro Bowl selections, four 1,000-yard seasons with the Cowboys and Browns, and more than 10,000 receiving yards.

Amari Cooper Career Wins

Across his 10 NFL seasons, Amari Cooper established himself as one of the league’s most productive wide receivers of his era. He recorded 711 career receptions for 10,033 receiving yards and 64 receiving touchdowns while earning five Pro Bowl selections and a PFWA All-Rookie Team nod.

Pro Bowl and All-Rookie Honors

Cooper made the Pro Bowl in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2023, an unusual run that spanned three different teams. He was also named to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team in 2015 after breaking the Raiders’ rookie receptions and receiving yards records. His selection in 2018 came as an injury replacement, and his 2023 nod followed his record-setting 265-yard game against the Houston Texans.

Other Performances

Cooper was recognized as NFC Offensive Player of the Week twice during his Cowboys tenure and once as AFC Offensive Player of the Week with the Browns. He was a consistent presence on the NFL Top 100 Players list, peaking at No. 49 in 2020.

Amari Cooper Family

Personal Life

Cooper is an avid chess player who was first captivated by the game as an elementary school student in northwest Miami. He has often related chess strategy to his play on the football field, and he competed in Chess.com’s BlitzChamps rapid tournament for NFL players, finishing second behind Chidobe Awuzie.