"He saw how bad the Raiders are": NFL fans react to Amari Cooper's sudden retirement after signing with Tom Brady's team

Veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper has retired from the NFL three days before the Las Vegas Raiders kicked off the 2025 season. Cooper started his career with the Oakland Raiders, spending four seasons with the AFC West squad before joining the Dallas Cowboys.

He had signed with Tom Brady's franchise at the end of the training camp, but the reunion won't materialize after the player decided to call it a career.

"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. 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," NFL insider Ian Rapoport wrote on X.

Ian Rapoport

@RapSheet

Veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper has retired from the NFL three days before the Las Vegas Raiders kicked off the 2025 season. Cooper started his career with the Oakland Raiders, spending four seasons with the AFC West squad before joining the Dallas Cowboys. He had signed with the franchise at the end of the training camp, but the reunion won't materialize after the player decided to call it a career. "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. 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," NFL insider Ian Rapoport wrote on X.

Many fans reacted to the news on social media, with some trolling the Raiders for pushing the player away due to their level of display.

"He saw how bad the Raiders are and had a change of plans," one fan wrote.

Coach Yac 🗣

@Coach_Yac

He saw how bad the Raiders are and had a change of plans 😂

"Amari Cooper walks into the Raiders locker room and said 'I’m not wasting my time, I’m out' lol," another fan said.

Eddie_King

@Friar2Bolts

Amari Cooper walks into the Raiders locker room and said “I’m not wasting my time, I’m out” lol

"All it took was been on the Raiders for two weeks," another fan wrote.

Chargers Muse

@ChargersMuse

All it took was been on the Raiders for two weeks

Others went after Geno Smith, the team's starting quarterback, and blamed him for making Cooper leave.

"Bro retired when he saw Geno Smith attempt a pass at practice," one fan said.

"Bro saw Geno Smith throw one ball and said 'I’m out,'" another fan said.

"He saw that he was going to spend more time on the bench and less on the field, so he bounced," another fan added.

In 52 games played, Cooper caught 225 passes for 3,183 yards receiving and 19 touchdowns. He didn't have the best season in 2024, and his bounce-back plans were suddenly shot down by himself.

Revisiting Amari Cooper's NFL career

Amari Cooper was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. After his time with the Raiders, he had stops in Dallas and Cleveland before he was traded to the Buffalo Bills.

He played 154 games, catching 711 passes on 1,163 targets for 10,033 yards and 64 touchdowns. Cooper was a five-time Pro Bowler and one of the most reliable wide receivers of his generation.

The Raiders had an entertaining offseason, but they won't have Cooper after all.