Cowboys Star Breaks Silence on Frustration with Failing Offense

Amari Cooper Vaccination

Getty Dak Prescott is standing by Amari Cooper.

Closed mouths don’t get fed — and Amari Cooper is hangry.

Breaking character, the mild-mannered wide receiver publicly voiced his frustration with the stagnant Dallas Cowboys‘ passing offense. To quote Keyshawn Johnson: just get him the damn ball.

“I got to be honest, it actually does [bother me],” Cooper said during a December 23 radio interview on 105.3 The Fan. “Because, yeah, we’re winning, but the defense is playing a huge part in that. We’re not really as explosive as we should be. We’re not converting a lot of their turnovers into touchdowns. A lot of them are field goals. And I feel like I could be a huge part of that, so that’s what frustrates me.

“I think I can do more in the red zone if I get some targets. I can do more on third down if I get the targets. To help the offense be what we need to be, I think I can definitely help change that.”

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Breaking Down Amari’s Production

In the second year of his $100 million contract extension, Cooper has registered 53 catches for 683 yards and six touchdowns across 12 appearances. The former Pro Bowl wideout missed two games (Weeks 11-12) following a stint on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

His numbers not where they should be, Cooper is pacing to finish below 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2017. He hasn’t logged a 100-yard outing since Week 8 and has just one TD grab over that span. Cooper totaled a season-low eight yards on two receptions during Dallas’ Week 15 win at New York.

Part of his downturn stems from a glut of offensive weaponry — a supporting cast featuring CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard, and Dalton Schultz — which Cooper was forced to acknowledge.

“We’ve got a whole bunch of playmakers on offense and there’s only one ball,” he said on December 23, via the official Cowboys website. “I think it’s more that than the (opposing) defense. I’m not getting double-teamed or something like that. But I’m just staying ready for when my opportunity does come, because it will come.”

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Dak Responds to Cooper’s Frustration

What was once the NFL’s top passing offense now ranks sixth overall, averaging 275.1 yards per game. What was once a guaranteed touchdown in the red zone is now, more likely than not, a field goal attempt. What was once the strength of the Cowboys is now the weakness.

Still, there’s still time to return the offense to prior form ahead of the club’s postseason run. And quarterback Dak Prescott agrees with Cooper’s airing of dirty laundry: it starts through the air.

“You want to get the ball to him,” Prescott said Thursday, December 23, via the official Cowboys website. “You’d much rather have a guy saying that and a guy hungry for the ball than him shying away from it in critical situations or when you need to. Yeah, it’s a balance. We’ve got a lot of playmakers on this team and on this offense, particularly when you’re talking about the receivers — not just those three (Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup) but then Ced (Wilson) and Malik (Turner) behind them and you’ve got two great backs.

“It’s only one ball. He understands that and he does whatever he can to help the team when he’s not getting the ball. But yeah, I would love to get him the ball more, as much as some of the other guys.”