Since coming to the Cowboys, wide receiver Amari Cooper has had a career revitalization.
Just a couple of seasons ago he looked done to many, “stuck” in Oakland and struggling with inconsistent hands. He was having his effort questioned, as well as his love for the game.
As soon as he linked up with quarterback Dak Prescott, though, Cooper’s numbers skyrocketed. He once again looked like the stud he was back during his rookie season, and gave Prescott the number one receiver he very much lacked during the early part of his career.
But now those questions seem to be back, at least from one division rival.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham spoke to ESPN this week about his season thus far, with the focus being on the energy he brings to the Eagles’ defense. Graham referenced their week 8 game with the Cowboys specifically, saying that he saw some quit in Amari Cooper’s eyes during the beatdown.
“I knew the rap sheet on him. His body language is bad, so when you see his body language I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m about to get him.’ So I started talking to him…He was gone. He’s like, man, I can’t wait until Dak Prescott gets back. That’s the type of face he had” – Brandon Graham.
Cooper was in the middle of an awful day when this alleged circumstance went down, only catching one ball for five yards during the (essentially) season ending loss. And while it’s easy to hand wave this away as some hate from a rival, it’s not the first time we’ve heard these accusations about Cooper.
Still, I’m not going to get on him too hard here. He is playing with quarterbacks I’m not sure he knew existed before the season, and is doing so after expecting for a full offseason that he would see less attention from defenses due to this loaded receiving corps.
The Eagles can talk their talk this year, but Amari Cooper is certainly not alone in his excitement for Dak Prescott to come back next season.
