The offenses are different but if Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice is seeking a role model to emulate, he can look to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper.
Riley Cooper chooses far different path than Richie Incognito to deal with fallout from racial slur
NFL.com posted a video of Cooper talking to NFL Media's Michael Irvin on the one-year anniversary of his apology for making racist remarks at a Kenny Chesney concert. Deadspin.com obtained video of Cooper's tirade, leading to an undisclosed fined by the Eagles.
"Obviously, I was very embarrassed. I'm still embarrassed about the situation," Cooper told Irvin on Thursday. "Words hurt, and I'm crushed by it."
Cooper went on to post career highs of 47 receptions for 835 yards and eight touchdowns.
One of the big questions last year at this time was how Cooper's teammates would respond to his remarks. But he said Thursday that his teammates' support was instrumental in his ability to move past his controversy.
"But it felt good to know my teammates were supporting me. Just a simple, 'Hey Coop, I'm here for you man' or 'Hey, praying for you man.' 'Hey, I got your back.'
"It meant a lot to me. That was a huge deal, nationwide. That is a big deal. And to have the support from the guys that know ya, it meant a lot."
Cooper said he played last season with something to prove to his teammates.
"Luckily that's the way I always approached it, and they see that. Luckily, they know," Cooper said. "I'm not the fastest guy. I don't have the best hands. I'm not the best route-runner. But they know that I play hard, and I'm gonna do everything I can to go get that ball and make those acrobatic catches."
The Eagles gave Cooper a five-year, $25 million deal in the offseason.
Rice took his first step in the Baltimore Ravens' offseason to make himself a better player, trimming 15 pounds from his frame to help him regain his explosion.
He may have further to go than Cooper in clearing his name, but Cooper proved, at least, that public forgiveness is possible.
How long do you think Ray Rice will take to repair his reputation if he makes good on his promise to be a speaker against domestic violence? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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