Former Rams WR Announces Retirement From NFL

The 2024 NFL offseason has been a wild ride for LA Rams fans and it all began with Aaron Donald's retirement in March. The generational defender finally decided to hang up his cleats after a dominant 10-season career that saw him win three Defensive Players of the Year Awards and a Super Bowl ring while cementing himself as one of the sport's all-time greats.

Whenever a prominent player retires, it's natural for fans to wonder who'll be the next to call it quits. While the Rams have a handful of older players who are likely nearing the end of their respective careers, former LA players aren't safe from Father Time's clutches either.

Rams News: WR Pharoh Cooper Announces NFL Retirement

Former Rams wide receiver Pahroh Cooper took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce his NFL retirement on Monday afternoon. The 29-year-old pass-catcher was drafted 117th overall by Los Angeles in 2016 and most recently spent time on the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad two years ago.

"Farewell football, I'm officially retiring from the NFL," Cooper announced to begin the week. "I'm forever grateful and give all the glory to God that I was able to live out my childhood dream." The former South Carolina Gamecock also made sure to thank his loved ones for their part in his journey.

Cooper spent his career playing 75 games for five different NFL franchises across seven seasons. In addition to the Rams, he also played games with the Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, and New York Giants.

Cooper was never a difference-maker on offense, catching just 61 of 94 targets (64.9%) for 545 yards and a touchdown. But while he wasn't the best pass-catcher, the Havelock, NC native made a name for himself in another area: returning kicks and punts.

Cooper was one of the league's better return men early in his career and the 2017 campaign solidified that fact. He racked up 34 returns for 932 yards in 16 games with the Rams that season while leading the league with 27.4 yards per return. He even returned one kickoff for a touchdown before ending the year with both Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors.

With his career now over, Cooper finishes with 3,018 return yards and a touchdown on 128 attempts (23.6 yards per return). He also fielded 101 punts throughout his run, amassing 936 yards with a career-long return of 53 yards in 2017.

The now-retired wideout hasn't announced his post-NFL plans, so it'll be interesting to see what Cooper does next. It wouldn't be shocking if a franchise or two was interested in him as a potential special teams coach, however, he may choose to take a break from a sport that's taken up the majority of his life.

Either way, congrats on a solid career and best of luck to Pharoh going forward!

More Rams news and rumors: