Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper made headlines this month for skipping the team’s mandatory minicamp for veterans, continuing a holdout as he seeks a contract extension beyond the 2024 season.
Speculation as to why Cleveland and Cooper have not come to terms has centered around the wide receiver’s request for a multiyear deal, avoiding a similar situation next season.
Cooper could have other reasons the contract negotiations have not been resolved.
ESPN Cleveland shared on Twitter a viral TikTok video of the wide receiver talking with Joey “JoJo” Mauriello from Betr, discussing why the athlete would not compete against the Internet celebrity.
“I’m trying to get paid this year,” Cooper told Mauriello.
“I’m trying to get paid this year,” – Amari Cooper 😳😳🤔
(Via @betr) pic.twitter.com/7DgBIPGpzV
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 25, 2024
In the video, Mauriello approaches Cooper and compliments him on being “one of the best route runners in the league.”
Mauriello then questions Cooper’s speed, which the wide receiver laughs as he responds he would win the hypothetical race.
Cooper said he would “hate to pull a hammy or something racing you, though” before telling Mauriello he would not accept the challenge as he focused on getting paid through an NFL contract extension.
The 6-foot-1 athlete has pushed for the extension after seeing fellow wide receivers across the league receive significantly larger contracts than he currently enjoys.
Cooper’s average salary for his current contract is $20 million per year and ends after this season.
Multiple athletes who are less accomplished than the five-time Pro Bowler have cashed in on the ballooning wide receiver market.
Justin Jefferson set the bar this offseason with a four-year, $140 million deal that contained $100 million in guaranteed compensation.
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