Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Michael Irvin criticize unvaccinated Amari Cooper
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper may be getting public support from those inside the locker room while he’s forced to sit out for two games after testing positive for COVID-19 as an unvaccinated player, but the response from two of the teams’ Hall of Famers hasn’t been nearly as understanding.
Both team owner Jerry Jones and former star wide receiver Michael Irvin have not been shy in expressing their disappointment that Cooper’s decision to not get the vaccine is hurting the team’s chances to win, as evidenced by the Cowboys’ inability to generate offense in Sunday’s 19-9 loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City.
Jones’ frustration with how Cooper’s individual decision impacted “we” and “the team” was evident during his radio show on 105.3 The Fan Tuesday morning.
“You check ‘me’ at the door in a football team,” Jones said. “The facts are it is a ‘we’ thing when you walk into the locker room, and anybody is being counted on to pull his weight. Everybody understands our rights and our options as it pertains to those rights.
“But this is a classic case of how it can impact a team. This is not individual; this is team. You cannot win anything individually. But the point is this popped us. This did pop us.”
Irvin, who was flagged down by TMZ Sports, and didn’t hold back as he expressed anger over Cooper’s decision not to get the vaccine.
“I’m absolutely hot about it. Are you joking?!” Irvin said. “I got a guy who makes $21 million on the bench at home not playing. It’s crazy. You have to try to mitigate any issue that could cost you a game or a Super Bowl, and COVID is one of them. You go get vaccinated to try to mitigate it, best you can.”
Cooper, the team’s second-leading receiver who is in the second year of a contract that pays him $20 million annually, was sorely missed during last Sunday’s game. It was the first contest of the season in which the Cowboys failed to score at least two touchdowns.
As an unvaccinated player, Cooper must quarantine for 10 days, meaning he also will not be eligible to play against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thanksgiving. However, he is expected to return for the following game at the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, Dec. 2.
Quarterback Dak Prescott refused to criticize Cooper for making an individual decision when asked about it on Sunday.
“That’s my teammate, that’s my brother, we’re going to support him,” Prescott said. “That’s his decision, as I said way back in training camp when you guys asked me this question. So yeah, unfortunate we’re not having him, but I know he’ll come back and be beneficial for us in the late part of the season.”
