Amari Cooper has enough catches, yards and touchdowns over his 10-year NFL career to satisfy his ego.
What’s missing in the 30-year-old’s career is playoff success, and Cooper wouldn’t trade this run to the AFC Championship Game he’s enjoying with the Buffalo Bills for anything.
“I’m very satisfied. I’ve never been this far in the playoffs,” Cooper said following practice Wednesday as the Bills prepare to play the top-seeded and two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
“Obviously, every receiver wants to have, you know, 10-20 catches a game. But that’s not always how the cookie crumbles,” he added. “Winning is way more important and there’s many ways to win. So absolutely no complaints from me, because that’s all I truly wanted. I mean, I’ve had it every other way and haven’t really reached the pinnacle of this sport.”
Though new to Buffalo in being acquired in a mid-October trade from Cleveland, Cooper’s selfless approach folds seamlessly into a Bills team that’s fed off an “Everybody Eats” mantra first introduced by offensive coordinator Joe Brady in May. The phrase was prompted out of necessity after Buffalo traded its top wide receiver Stefon Diggs to Houston in April and lost No. 2 option Gabe Davis to free agency.
Cooper’s addition was initially anticipated to help fill that void, though that’s failed to materialize on an offense that had 13 players catch a touchdown pass but no one top 900 yards.
Cooper’s had his highlight moments, including a touchdown in his Bills debut and his memorable lateral to set up quarterback Josh Allen diving for a touchdown in an AFC East-clinching win over San Francisco on Dec. 1.
And yet for someone who’s topped 1,000 yards and 70 catches seven times, Cooper’s overall production hit career lows this season with 44 catches (only 20 in Buffalo) for 547 yards (297 in Buffalo) and four touchdowns.
That’s fine with him.
“You have so many players that are doing their job that they can get the job done without you,” Cooper said. “So that’s kind of where my ego dies and the pride is put aside for the sake of the team.”
Brady credits Cooper for his easy-going approach while noting his presence on the field instantly draws the attention of opposing defenses.
“He’s part of our group that makes our group kind of who they are, and he’s leading it,” Brady said. “He doesn’t care about the stats right now, and he knows that him being on the field helps our offense.”
Cooper has enjoyed success. In his freshman season at Alabama in 2012, he had 59 catches for 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns in helping the Crimson Tide win a national championship.
At the NFL level, team success has eluded him. The No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft, Cooper celebrated one win in four previous playoff appearances in which he combined for 25 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns. In Buffalo, he’s won twice while combining for two catches for a mere 8 yards.
“I’ve had tremendous years in the league, Pro Bowls and all those things. But none of them will amount to winning that last game,” Cooper said, knowing he’s two wins away from a championship. “You keep preparing, and then you know one day everything will fall in place. That’s how it feels. It feels like I’ve prepared for this moment all my life.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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