Why did Amari Cooper retire? Raiders WR cuts reunion short by calling it a career at 31 years old

Gilbert McGregor

Why did Amari Cooper retire? Raiders WR cuts reunion short by calling it a career at 31 years old image

The Las Vegas Raiders will be making last-minute changes to their receiving room ahead of Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season.

Three days before the season opener, five-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper informed the Raiders that he is retiring from the NFL, according to multiple reports. The news comes just nine days after Cooper reunited with the franchise by signing as a free agent.

Cooper, 31, was selected fourth overall by the Raiders in the 2015 NFL Draft. After three and a half seasons in Oakland, he made several stops around the league before signing with Las Vegas on Aug. 25, 2025.

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Here is more on Cooper's decision to hang up his cleats just nine days after rejoining the franchise that drafted him.

MORE: NFL power rankings for Week 1 | Ranking the NFL's 25 best wide receivers in 2025

Why did Amari Cooper retire?

Cooper informed the Raiders that he no longer has a desire to play, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that Cooper had struggled to ramp up his preparedness for the upcoming season after signing with Las Vegas. Cooper spent the 2024 season with the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills, catching 44 passes for 547 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games.

He finishes his NFL career having amassed 10,033 receiving yards and scoring 64 receiving touchdowns over 154 games and 10 seasons.

The timing of Cooper's retirement is particularly shocking. At his introductory press conference, Cooper said, "I still got some juice left," adding that several teams reached out to him during free agency.

Raiders WR depth chart

Cooper was listed as a second-string WR on the Raiders' official depth chart. They will now readjust and could elevate a WR from their practice squad.

Here's an updated look at the receivers on Las Vegas' roster:

WRName
1Jakobi Myers
2Tre Tucker
3Dont'e Thornton
4Jack Bech
PSAlex Bachman
PSShedrick Jackson
PSJustin Shorter

Amari Cooper career stats

Cooper finishes his career with seven seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards to his name. He earned Pro Bowl nods in each of his first two seasons and again in his fourth NFL campaign.

Cooper's final Pro Bowl season came just two years before his retirement, as he caught 72 passes for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns with Cleveland in 2023.

SeasonTeamGamesRecYardsTDs
2015Raiders16721,0706
2016Raiders16831,1535
2017Raiders14486807
2018Raiders6222801
2018Cowboys9537256
2019Cowboys16791,1898
2020Cowboys16921,1145
2021Cowboys15688658
2022Browns17781,1609
2023Browns15721,2505
2024Browns6242502
2024Bills8202972
Career 15471110,03364

This story will be updated.

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.