Amari Cooper has seen a lot in his decade as an NFL wide receiver.
He came into the league to help spur the then-Oakland Raiders to brief relevance as a contender and back to stasis as an AFC West underdog. He was traded to the Dallas Cowboys, where he was subject to the whims of team owner and de facto general manager Jerry Jones. When Jones could no longer afford him, he took a ride on the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback carousel before a 2024 trade brought him to the Buffalo Bills.
Even though his 2023 Browns qualified for the postseason with a 39-year-old Joe Flacco behind center, it’s clear the five-time Pro Bowler ended up in a better place. He said as much Sunday night after Buffalo’s 30-21 victory over the formerly undefeated Kansas City. It was a statement that showcased gratitude toward the Bills and quiet displeasure with Cleveland.
How much did this #Bills win mean to Amari Cooper?
"First time in a long time I've felt joy from winning a game" pic.twitter.com/rKURdCw76J
— Thad Brown (@thadbrown7) November 18, 2024
“It’s the first time in a like, long time that I actually felt joy from winning this game,” Cooper told reporters after Buffalo improved to 8-2. “Just the way we played, from having so many guys on the team who are, you know, playmakers and they come up, they show up when their number is called. Collectively, as a group, it’s just amazing.
“It’s just kind of a different place too, Buffalo, compared to the other places I’ve been to. It’s a tight knit group, I would say. A lot of the guys go out together. They hang around each other 24-7. It truly shows up on the field.”
Brown had two deep receptions for 55 yards in Week 11’s win. While he only has seven catches since being traded in October thanks, in part, to a wrist injury that cost him a pair of games, he’s been a viable deep threat for a team in need of contributors alongside Josh Allen.
Cooper’s played for good quarterbacks before. He’s been on playoff teams. But something in Buffalo appears to be different. Now he’ll have the chance to prove he can be one of those playmakers who steps up as the Bills attempt to shake the postseason woes that have kept them out of the Super Bowl in the Allen era.
