Riley Cooper, the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver who was fined by the team after a video of him using the n-word surfaced, is taking a break from football activities to go to counseling.
As we previously reported, Cooper was taped using the n-word at a Kenny Chesney concert last month and the tape surfaced Wednesday. A short time later, Cooper took to Twitter to apologize and the team issued a fine.
According to USA Today, the Eagles issued a statement today confirming that they are letting Cooper go to counseling while the team gets ready for the upcoming NFL season.
"As we have said, Riley Cooper will be seeking counseling and we have excused him from all team activities,” the team stated. “This is all new territory and we are going to evaluate this timetable every step of the way. He will meet with professionals provided by the Eagles during this period of time to better help him understand how his words have hurt so many, including his teammates.”
NFL.com notes that Cooper has also isseud a statement through the team, noting, “Right now, I think it's important for me to take some time to reflect on this situation.” He continued, “The organization and my teammates have been extremely supportive, but I also realize that there are people who will have a tough time forgiving me for what I've done. The best thing for me, and for the team, is to step away for a period of time.”
Cooper did show up to practice on Thursday, but he was noticeably isolated from his teammates. While quarterback Michael Vick accepted the apology, other teammates and players around the league had not.
