Philadelphia Eagles receiver Riley Cooper apologizes for using racial slur caught on video
Philadelphia Eagles receiver Riley Cooper found himself trending on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon, and it wasn't because he is the top candidate to take over for injured Jeremy Maclin.
Instead, Cooper was dominating conversation because of a video first shared by CrossingBroad.com and later shared by Deadspin. In the video, Cooper uses a racial slur to describe black people while looking agitated at a Kenny Chesney concert recently held at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field.
“I will jump that fence and fight every (n-word) here, bro," Cooper said.
Through the Eagles, who announced that Cooper had been fined, the receiver sent out an apology shortly after the video surfaced:
“I am so ashamed and disgusted with myself. I want to apologize. I have been offensive. I have apologized to my coach, to Jeffrey Lurie, to Howie Roseman and to my teammates. I owe an apology to the fans and to this community. I am so ashamed, but there are no excuses. What I did was wrong and I will accept the consequences.”
Cooper also shared the same apology on his Twitter account.
The Eagles announced he has been fined through a statement by owner Jeffrey Lurie:
“We are shocked and appalled by Riley Cooper’s words. This sort of behavior or attitude from anyone has no role in a civil society. He has accepted responsibility for his words and his actions. He has been fined for this incident.“
Here's the video, but be warned that it includes the racial slur and is NSFW:
Last month CrossingBroad.com had another post about Cooper, apparently at the same concert, arguing with people in the parking lot after he allegedly threw a man to the ground.
Cooper met with the media in Philadelphia and apologized again. According to the NBC affiliate in Philadelphia, Cooper said he had a confrontation with a security guard, who is black, although that was no excuse for what he said. He also said he was drinking, but didn't use that as an excuse either.
"I don't use that term," Cooper said, according to NBCPhiladelphia.com. "I was raised way better than that. I've got a great mom and dad at home. They are disgusted by my actions. This is kind of the lowest of lows. This isn't the type of person that I am."
Cooper said he hadn't talked to his teammates, but he planned to.
"I’m going to tell them exactly what I’m telling you guys, how extremely sorry I am and how I should have never said what I said," Cooper said. "Most of the ones that know me know the type of person I am."
After the latest video with the racial slur, Cooper will have a lot of work to do to regain trust in the Eagles locker room and in the community.
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