[Dallas Morning News] Amari Cooper was polite, laughing even, when talking about his recent issues with the coronavirus during a Friday afternoon conference call with reporters. The virus cost the Cowboys wide receiver two games, limited his playing time during his first game back and raised questions about his thought process. It was the NFL's protocols that cost him two games. Later Cooper says he could've played.
After all this, we
"This is a personal choice," Cooper said. "A personal choice not to. I don’t really want to go too far in-depth about that simply because I’ve noticed it’s not a good topic to talk about. I think I learned a long time ago to avoid conversations that would just lead to arguments and quarrels and it seems like that’s all that’s been doing whether it’s in person or social media and stuff like that. I just avoid talking about it."
It’s interesting how a public health issue such as the coronavirus has turned into a debate about an individual’s right to get vaccinated or not. On the Cowboys’ 53-man roster, there are just two known unvaccinated players, linebacker Keanu Neal and Cooper. Both have tested positive for the virus.
I Deleted a long soliloquy about how safe it is, important, consult your medical professional, and so on.
Cooper, like most professional athletes, has access to the best medical care. Yet he elected to refuse the vaccination. Team medical officials can’t force surgery, treatment or even vaccinations on any player. If a team doctor says surgery is recommended, a player can get a second opinion or refuse it. That’s a player’s right.
That’s the case for an injury. What about public health issues that
Speaking of that game, Cooper told the Cowboys’ website in a postgame interview he could have played with the symptoms. He compared it to Michael Jordan playing with the flu during Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals.
"I was sick and I was saying I was sick like how Jordan was sick," Cooper said. "When I had COVID it wasn’t as sick as I’ve ever been. So I felt like I could have still went out there and played.”