It’s well known that the Alabama Crimson Tide has one of the most prestigious programs in NCAAF history. Dozens of players who later find success in the NFL have passed through Bama, often under the guidance of legendary coach Nick Saban. One such player is recent addition to Buffalo Bills Amari Cooper, who was under Saban’s leadership for several years.
In a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Saban discussed his experience coaching Cooper at Alabama and highlighted a standout trait of the wide receiver: “I think Amari Cooper sometimes is a little bit misunderstood because he’s such a quiet guy. I mean, he went through three or four years at Alabama, however long he was there, and I don’t know if we ever had a conversation.”
Despite Amari Cooper leading in receptions and receiving yards during his final year at Bama, Saban admitted that their conversations were limited while they were teammates with the current Buffalo Bills player and Josh Allen’s teammate.
“He was never in trouble, I mean, he never came in my office. He did everything he was supposed to do… But never said a word. So sometimes as a coach you think, ‘Well he’s not really with it.’ Or, ‘He’s not really with us.’ But he is.” Saban stated.
The arrival of Cooper to the Bills
Without a doubt, Amari Cooper’s move from the Cleveland Browns to the Buffalo Bills is one of the most notable trades in the NFL. Cooper is a top-tier wide receiver who joins Josh Allen to enhance McDermott’s offensive lineup.
Regarding the arrival of the former Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys player, it was Josh Allen himself who shared a heartfelt message upon Cooper joining the Bills, with a singular goal in mind: reaching the Super Bowl.
“I think, the route running that he possesses, the ability to separate from defenders, I think his contested catch ability is through the roof,” Allen said about Cooper.