Amari Cooper shocks NFL world by retiring one week after Raiders reunion, ending 10-year career

On September 4, 2025, a bombshell dropped: less than a week after re-signing with the Las Vegas Raiders, wide receiver Amari Cooper shocked the sports world with an unexpected retirement announcement from the NFL.

The five-time Pro Bowl veteran told the team he “no longer has the desire to play football,” killing what was a highly anticipated reunion. This announcement puts the finishing touches on a decade-long stellar career.

Amari Cooper’s homecoming with the Raiders ends abruptly

Cooper was highly anticipated to return to the Raiders earlier this season. He signed a one-year, $6 million deal on August 25, 2025, to return to the team that selected him fourth overall in the 2015 draft.

It was billed as a second-chance reunion, and Cooper stated he was coming back to finish the job and build on that early fandom magic.

Removing that reunion was expected to strengthen a new Raiders offense, which was already busy acquiring pieces with the addition of quarterback Geno Smith and a rookie running back, Ashton Jeanty. Cooper was expected to provide veteran stability within a young receiver room with his leadership and talent.

This means the team has to scramble to figure things out before the start of the season, with just a few short weeks to go until kickoff.

It comes after his abrupt retirement.Also Read: What made Ja’Marr Chase choose Fabletics over Nike; Becomes brand’s first-ever NFL superstar

A decorated career leaves a lasting legacy

Cooper shocked the NFL by announcing, just days before the Raiders' season opener on September 4, that he was leaving the game because he no longer wanted to play football. It had eliminated further opportunities to play in 2025. Fans, analysts, and his peers were shocked at his announcement.

In a decade-long career, Cooper finished with 711 catches for 10,033 receiving yards and 64 touchdowns. He made five Pro Bowls and had seven 1,000-yard seasons, including a career-high 1,250 yards in 2023. A precise route runner, he became known as one of the most reliable receivers of his time.His surprise retirement creates a hole in what was already a thin Raiders receiving corps, now down to Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, and mere rookies Dont’e Thornton Jr. and Jack Bech on the 53-man roster. The team won't be afforded much time to revise its game plan for the Week 1 opener.