N-word comes back to haunt Eagles' Cooper

RILEY COOPER addressed his Eagles teammates, who are mostly African-American, just before their regular evening walkthrough practice last night, hours after a video surfaced of Cooper vowing to "fight every [N-word] here" at a June 8 Kenny Chesney concert.

Several African-American Eagles afterward said they forgave Cooper, but the worldwide outpouring of shock, anger and rage on social media yesterday suggested the fourth-year receiver's task of rehabilitating his image has just begun.

Marcus Vick, brother of Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, tweeted that Cooper was "a peace (sic) of [bleep]" and suggested a $1,000 bounty be placed on him, for opposing safeties to collect. Marcus Vick later said his Twitter account had been hacked and deleted the tweet. Michael Vick told reporters he did not agree with his brother and that "Marcus has to not show a level of ignorance himself."

Cooper, red-eyed and shaken, told reporters at the NovaCare Complex that his parents in Florida were "extremely disappointed" in him last evening, a few hours after the Crossing Broad website posted the video, which then was picked up by Deadspin.

Cooper apologized on Twitter before meeting with reporters. He said he has been fined "a good amount of money" by the team. The NFL declined to say if there will be league discipline. Cooper characterized himself as "extremely sorry, extremely embarrassed, extremely hurt by my actions."

Cooper said the confrontation occurred between Cooper and an African-American security guard.

"There was a confrontation I handled extremely, extremely poorly . . . I said something that is absolutely disgusting and terrible," Cooper said.

"I'm disgusted and I'm sorry. That's not the type of person I am," Cooper said. "I wasn't raised that way. I've got a great mom and dad at home [in Clearwater]. They're extremely, extremely disappointed in me."

Cooper said Eagles coach Chip Kelly told him to "go out and face this." Kelly did not speak with reporters after the video surfaced, though Kelly did address his team.

Cooper said he learned of the video yesterday, presumably after it appeared on the website.

"I was drinking, but that is no excuse for what I said and what I did, absolutely not," he said. He said his parents are "disgusted by my actions."

Cooper said he was by himself when the confrontation occurred, even though several Eagles attended the Lincoln Financial Field concert and gathered onstage, along with Kelly, for the song "The Boys of Fall," it was reported at the time. In the video of Cooper uttering the slur, someone who looks like center Jason Kelce briefly reaches into the frame, apparently trying to restrain or calm him.

Cooper said teammates who know him "know what kind of person I am."

Asked if he expects to be a marked man around the league, Cooper said: "I haven't thought that far yet, to be honest with you. I just know how sorry I am right now."

"This is kind of the lowest of the lows. This isn't the kind of person I want to be portrayed as," Cooper said, when asked how he feels this incident will affect his life. "This isn't the type of person I am. I'm extremely sorry.

"I know no one in Philadelphia is happy with me right now. I accept that. I just hope they see the true me, accept my apology, but I know it's going to take a while."

Earlier, on Twitter, Cooper said: "I am so ashamed and disgusted with myself. I want to apologize. I have been offensive. I have apologized to my coach, [to Eagles chairman] Jeffrey Lurie and [general manager] 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."

"We are shocked and appalled by Riley Cooper's words," Lurie said in a statement. "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."

The league said in a statement that "the NFL stands for diversity and inclusion. Comments like this are wrong, offensive and unacceptable."

Cooper is expected to take on a greater role in the Eagles' offense with Jeremy Maclin out for the season after tearing his right ACL.

Cooper, a fifth-round pick out of Florida in 2010, turns 26 on Sept. 9, the day the Eagles open their 2013 season. He was Tim Tebow's roommate and Aaron Hernandez' teammate with the Gators. (Those joint practices with the Patriots next week at NovaCare just took on an added dimension.)

Cooper, who grew up in Clearwater and was drafted by the Phillies in 2006, started five games for the Eagles at the end of last season, after DeSean Jackson suffered a season-ending injury.

In his Eagles media-guide bio, he lists African-Americans Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne and Drake among his favorite musical artists, along with Chesney.

"I know he's not a racist," said wide receiver Jason Avant, who said Cooper is one of his best friends. "Even like with Jeremy Maclin getting hurt the other day, the first person there is Riley Cooper. The first person that's holding his lunch there in line, the first person that's getting his towel for him when he's getting out of the shower is Riley. They're like best buds. When you see a situation like that, it hurts, but you understand that men are fallible. And that's just the bottom line. We all make mistakes."