Veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper announced his retirement on Thursday in Henderson, Nev., nine days after rejoining the Las Vegas Raiders on a one-year deal, ending a 10-season NFL career that included five Pro Bowl selections and 10,033 receiving yards.
Key takeaways
- Amari Cooper, 31, retired on Sept. 4, 2025, nine days after signing with the Raiders.
- Cooper finishes a 10-season career with 711 receptions, 10,033 yards and 64 touchdowns.
- He was the No. 4 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the then-Oakland Raiders.
- Cooper made five Pro Bowls and recorded seven 1,000-yard seasons, including 1,250 yards for Cleveland in 2023.
- Raiders staff had not finalized his role for the season opener at New England before his decision.
- Coaches expressed respect for Cooper’s career and wishes for his future.
Verified facts
Amari Cooper signed a one-year contract to return to the Las Vegas Raiders nine days before announcing his retirement. The move was publicized after Cooper told team staff of his decision on Thursday morning, according to Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
Selected fourth overall in the 2015 draft by Oakland, Cooper spent 10 seasons with four different franchises. His career totals include 711 catches for 10,033 yards and 64 touchdowns. He earned Pro Bowl nods five times and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in seven separate seasons.
Cooper’s most productive recent full season came in 2023 with the Cleveland Browns, when he posted 72 receptions for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns. Last season he combined stints with Cleveland and the Buffalo Bills, finishing with 44 receptions for 547 yards and four touchdowns.
Raiders coaches said Cooper had been practicing with the team and taking reps, but there had been no final decision about whether he would play in the season opener at New England. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said he respected Cooper’s choice and praised his career.
Context & impact
Cooper’s retirement closes the book on a respected receiver whose speed, route-running and consistency made him a primary target wherever he played. His departure removes an experienced option from the Raiders’ receiving corps just as the regular season begins.
For the Raiders, the timing raises immediate roster and scheme questions. Coaches had been evaluating receiver rotations in training camp; Cooper’s exit accelerates plans for younger players to assume larger roles and could affect early-season play-calling.
On a league level, Cooper’s retirement is another example of established players choosing to step away relatively early in their 30s, often weighing long-term health and life after football against short-term opportunities to play.
Official statements
“It’s unfortunate because I think the world of him. I think he’s a heck of a football player. He’s had a heck of an NFL career, but he knows in his heart what he wants to do, so I wish him the best.”
Chip Kelly, Raiders offensive coordinator
“Amari’s done well so far. We just want to get through some more practices. We just haven’t had that much time yet.”
Coach Pete Carroll (as quoted by Kelly)
Unconfirmed
- Whether Cooper planned a short-term return to play beyond the one-year deal remains unspecified.
- Exact roster or contract mechanics that followed the retirement have not been publicly detailed.
Bottom line
Amari Cooper’s sudden retirement, announced nine days after his return to Las Vegas, ends a decade-long NFL tenure marked by high production and consistent play. The Raiders must now adjust depth and plans at wide receiver with the season opener days away, while Cooper steps away with a career that ranks among the more productive receiver runs of his era.