After successful rookie and sophomore seasons that included back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns and twoPro Bowl appearances, Cooper struggled in his third season with the Raiders, totaling just 680 yards. Midway through the2018 season, he was traded to theDallas Cowboys and his play began to flourish again, including a 217-yard performance, and as a result, Cooper was voted to the third Pro Bowl of his career. He also had successive 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and 2020, making the Pro Bowl in 2019. In 2022, Cooper was traded to theCleveland Browns. He had 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, becoming the first Browns wide receiver in team history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons.[1] The Browns traded Cooper to theBuffalo Bills midway through the 2024 season, spending one season with the team before retiring in 2025.
Cooper was born on June 17, 1994, inMiami, Florida,[2][3] where he attendedMiami Northwestern Senior High School.[4] As a junior, Cooper missed much of the season with an injury, but still managed to be one of quarterbackTeddy Bridgewater's primary targets and had 16 catches for 175 yards with fourtouchdowns. Cooper was dominant on the 7-on-7 circuit at various college campuses before his senior season. He had a show-out performance atAlabama's summer camp,[5] and that quickly led to an offer fromNick Saban and the Crimson Tide. As a senior, Cooper hauled in 33receptions for 722 yards and six touchdowns. He was a first-teamFHSAA 8A All-State selection, as well as the number-four player onOrlando Sentinel's Florida Top 100.[6] Cooper was invited to play at the2012 Under Armour All-America Game, where he had a 75-yard touchdown grab and a 93-yardpunt return for a score. In addition to being a standout in football, Cooper also starred inbasketball andtrack at Miami Northwestern.[7]
Cooper was a consensus four-star prospect.[8][9] He was listed as the number 45 in the Rivals100, and was considered the number-sixwide receiver and number-eight player inFlorida byRivals.com.[10]ESPNU listed Cooper as the nation's number-seven wideout and number-46 overall prospect in the ESPNU 150 while ranking him 25th in the ESPNU Southeast Top 100 and number 12 in Florida.[11] He was ranked as the number-six wide receiver and the number-10 player in the state of Florida by247Sports.com, which had him 55th in their Top247.[12]Scout.com rated Cooper as the number-12 pass catcher in the nation and 86th overall prospect.[13] He chose Alabama overFlorida State,Miami, andOhio State, among others. Cooper announced his verbal commitment to theUniversity of Alabama on September 22, 2011.[14]
As a freshman at Alabama, Cooper played in all 14 games, including starts in the final nine games. He led the team with 59 receptions for 1,000 yards and 11touchdowns.[15][16] The 11 touchdowns broke Alabama's 62-year-old record byAl Lary.[17] Cooper's receptions and receiving yards brokeJulio Jones's Alabama freshman records.[18] In theSEC Championship, he had eight receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown in the 32–28 victory overGeorgia, including the go-ahead touchdown with three minutes left in the game.[19] In Alabama's2013 BCS National Championship Game 42–14 victory overNotre Dame, Cooper led all Alabama receivers with six receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns.[20][21] He earned consensus FreshmanAll-American honors and was selected to theSEC All-Freshman team by the league coaches.[22]
As a sophomore in 2013, Cooper played in 12 games with seven starts, missing two games due to injury. He had 45 receptions for a team-high 736 yards and four touchdowns.[23] Cooper had his best game of the season againstAuburn in theIron Bowl, recording six receptions for 178 yards, including a school record 99-yard touchdown reception from quarterbackA. J. McCarron.[24] In theSugar Bowl againstOklahoma, Cooper had nine receptions for 121 yards in the 45–31 loss.[25]
As a junior in 2014, Cooper set numerous single-season and career records for Alabama.[26] AgainstTennessee, he broke Alabama's single game receiving yards record, finishing with 224.[27] Cooper later matched the record againstAuburn.[28] For the season, he had 124 receptions for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns, both school records. In addition, his 124 receptions were an SEC record.[29] Cooper became Alabama's all-time leader in receptions (228), receiving yards (3,463), and receiving touchdowns (31).[30][31][32] He was a finalist for theHeisman Trophy, finishing third behindMarcus Mariota andMelvin Gordon.[33] Cooper won theBiletnikoff Award that season and was also named aunanimous All-American.[34][35]
Cooper was considered one of the best wide receivers in the 2015 draft class, together withKevin White. In mostmock drafts, he was projected to be a top-10 pick, with some having him as high as the fourth pick in the 2015 NFL draft.[38][39]
TheOakland Raiders selected Cooper in the first round with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft.[42][43]Cooper was initially assigned the jersey number 19, but following the release of fellow receiverJames Jones, he switched to number 89. Cooper made his NFL debut on September 13, 2015. He had five receptions for 47 yards in the 33–13 loss to theCincinnati Bengals.[44] In the next game against theBaltimore Ravens, he recorded seven receptions for 109 yards and his first touchdown on a 68-yard pass fromDerek Carr during the 37–33 victory.[45] The following week, Cooper had a franchise rookie record eight receptions for 134 yards in a 27–20 road victory over theCleveland Browns, becoming the first Raiders receiver with consecutive 100+ yard receiving games sinceRandy Moss in 2005.[46][47] Through three games, his 290 receiving yards were third in NFL history. On November 8, 2015, Cooper passedTim Brown's record for rookie receptions (43) in a 38–35 road loss to thePittsburgh Steelers.[48]
On December 20, 2015, Cooper became the first rookie in franchise history to reach the 1,000-yard mark and the only receiver in the club to reach that same mark since Randy Moss, in 2005.[49] His 72 receptions are also franchise rookie records.[50] On December 22, Cooper was selected as an alternate for thePro Bowl, alongside teammates Derek Carr andLatavius Murray;[51] he replacedBrandon Marshall and played.[52] Cooper was named to thePFWA NFL All-Rookie Team for 2015.[53]
Cooper put together a solid second season in the NFL. During the season opener against theNew Orleans Saints, he had six receptions for 137 yards in a narrow 35–34 road victory.[54] During Week 5 against theSan Diego Chargers, he had six receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown in a 34–31 victory.[55] Three weeks later against theTampa Bay Buccaneers, he had his best game of the season with 12 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown in a 30–24 overtime road victory.[56]
Cooper finished his second professional season with 83 receptions for 1,153 yards and five touchdowns.[57] He was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl on December 20, 2016.[58] Cooper was also ranked 53rd by his peers on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2017.[59]
During the season opener against theTennessee Titans, Cooper had only five receptions for 62 yards on 13 targets, though one was a touchdown.[60] After having 33 yards in Week 2, Cooper had three consecutive games with less than 10 receiving yards.[61] However, onThursday Night Football, in a 31–30 victory over theKansas City Chiefs in Week 7, Cooper caught 11 passes for a then-career-high 210 yards and two touchdowns. His yardage was the most by any NFL player at that point in the 2017 season, the second-most in franchise history, and the first 200+ yard game in franchise history since 1965.[62][63] With his stellar performance in Week 7, Cooper earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.[64] In the season finale against theLos Angeles Chargers, Cooper caught three passes for 115 yards and an 87-yard touchdown in the 30–10 loss.[65] He was later revealed to have struggled throughout the latter half of the season with an ankle injury that hampered his play.[66] Cooper finished the 2017 season recording career lows with 48 receptions for 680 yards but did have a career-high seven touchdowns.[67]
On April 22, 2018, the Raiders exercised the fifth-year option on Cooper's contract.[68]
During Week 4 against the Browns, Cooper caught eight passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in a 45–42 overtime victory.[69] Two weeks later against theSeattle Seahawks in London, Cooper suffered a concussion and was knocked unconscious. The Raiders went on to lose 27–3.[70]
In his first game with the Cowboys on November 5, Cooper led the team with five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown as the Cowboys lost to the Titans by a score of 28–14.[72] On Thanksgiving Day, Cooper had eight receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns, including a 90-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter as the Cowboys defeated theWashington Redskins by a score of 31–23. He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.[73] Two weeks later against thePhiladelphia Eagles, Cooper had 10 catches for a career-high 217 yards and three touchdowns. His final touchdown, in overtime, came off a deflection fromRasul Douglas as the Cowboys won 29–23. Cooper's 217 receiving yards were the most by one player for a single game in the 2018 season.[74] For his performance, Cooper earned his second NFC Offensive Player of the Week award.[75] He earned his third career Pro Bowl nomination.[76]
The Cowboys finished atop theNFC East with a 10–6 record and were the #4-seed for the NFC playoffs.[77] In theWild Card Round victory over the Seattle Seahawks, Cooper recorded seven receptions for 106 yards.[78] In theDivisional Round against theLos Angeles Rams, he had six receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown in the 30–22 road loss.[79] On January 21, 2019, Cooper was added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster as an injury replacement for New Orleans Saints wide receiverMichael Thomas.[80] In 15 games and starts on the Raiders and Cowboys rosters during the 2018 season, Cooper accumulated 75 receptions for 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns.[81] He was ranked 64th by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2019.[82]
On July 1, 2019, Cooper stated, "I think the change of scenery was really necessary, I really, honestly, don't think if I would've stayed with the Raiders last season that I would've been able to flourish and reach some heights that I was able to reach as a Cowboy. So, it was definitely necessary."[83]
During the season opener against theNew York Giants, Cooper had six receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown in the 35–17 victory.[84] During Week 5, Cooper caught 11 passes for a career-high 226 yards and a touchdown as the Cowboys lost to theGreen Bay Packers by a score of 34–24.[85] During Week 10 against theMinnesota Vikings, he recorded 11 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown in the 28–24 loss.[86] During Week 14 against theChicago Bears onThursday Night Football, Cooper caught six passes for 83 yards and a touchdown in the 31–24 road loss. During the game, he reached 1,000 receiving yards on the season.[87] He was named to his fourth career Pro Bowl for his performance in 2019.[88]
Cooper finished the 2019 season with 79 receptions for a career-high 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 games and starts.[89] He was ranked 49th by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2020.[90]
On March 17, 2020, Cooper signed a five-year contract extension with the Cowboys worth $100 million, which featured $60 million guaranteed, $40 million at signing, and a $20 million injury designation that becomes fully guaranteed in 2022.[91]
The 2020 season saw Cooper reach at least 100 receiving yards in four games. Despite having four quarterbacks start over the season due to injuries, Cooper finished the 2020 season with a career-high 92 receptions for 1,114 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games and 15 starts.[92][93][94]
During the season opener against the Buccaneers, Cooper recorded 13 receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the narrow 31–29 road loss.[95] His 13 receptions set a new mark for the most by a Cowboys player in a season-opening game.[96] During a Week 8 20–16 road victory over the Vikings, Cooper caught eight passes for 122 yards and the game-winning touchdown.[97] Cooper missed Weeks 11 and 12 after testing positive forCOVID-19.[98][99]
Cooper finished the 2021 season with 68 receptions for 865 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns (tied for the team lead) in 15 games and 14 starts.[100][101] In theWild Card Round against theSan Francisco 49ers, he had six receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown in the 23–17 loss.[102]
On January 14, 2022, Cooper was fined $14,650 by the NFL after he attended aDallas Mavericks game without wearing a face mask, a violation ofCOVID-19 protocols.[103]
On March 16, 2022, Cooper was traded to theCleveland Browns in exchange for a fifth-round pick (#155-Matt Waletzko) and a swap of sixth-round picks in the2022 NFL draft.[104] In Week 11 against the Bills, he had eight receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.[105] In Week 17 against the Commanders, he had three receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns in the win.[106]
Cooper finished the 2022 season with 78 receptions for 1,160 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns in 17 games and starts.[107]
On December 24, 2023, Cooper had a career-high 265 receiving yards against theHouston Texans, which also broke the Browns single-game receiving record previously held byJosh Gordon.[108] Furthermore, Cooper became just the second player in NFL history to record a 200+ yard game for three different teams, along with Terrell Owens.[109] He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his historic game against the Texans.[110] Cooper was named as a Pro Bowler for the fifth time.[111]
Cooper finished the 2023 season with 72 receptions for a career-high 1,250 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games and starts. He had five games with over 100 receiving yards on the season.[112] Cooper became the first wide receiver to record consecutive 1,000-yard seasons for the Browns.[113] He was ranked 70th by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2024.[114]
In six games with the Browns, Cooper struggled to connect with quarterbackDeshaun Watson as the Browns started the season with a 1–5 record.[115] Cooper caught 24-of-53 targets for 250 yards and two touchdowns, both of which came in a Week 3 loss to theNew York Giants.[116]
On October 15, 2024, the Browns traded Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round pick to theBuffalo Bills in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 seventh-round pick.[117]
Cooper was able to suit up for the Week 7 matchup against theTennessee Titans, catching four passes for 66 yards and a touchdown in his Bills debut as the Bills won 34–10.[118] He missed Weeks 9 and 10 with a wrist injury.[119] During a Week 13 victory over theSan Francisco 49ers, Cooper received a pass from quarterbackJosh Allen and lateraled the ball back to Allen for a touchdown, giving Allen both a passing touchdown and receiving touchdown on the same play.[120] Cooper finished the 2024 season with 44 receptions for 547 yards and four touchdowns.[121]
On August 25, 2025, Cooper signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with theLas Vegas Raiders, reuniting him with the team that drafted him.[122] However, on September 4, Cooper announced his retirement from the NFL after 10 seasons.[123][124]
Cooper is an avidchess player. He was first captivated by the game as an elementary school student in northwest Miami, and as a football player, Cooper related chess strategies to his play on the field.[127][128] He played inChess.com's BlitzChamps, arapid tournament for NFL players, and came in second place behindChidobe Awuzie.[129]
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