Pharoh Cooper, a 29-year-old native of Havelock, N.C., has officially announced his retirement from the NFL. In a post shared on Twitter, Cooper expressed his gratitude for being able to live out his childhood dream of playing professional football. He thanked his family, friends, and fans for their love and support throughout his career.
Cooper spent one season with the Carolina Panthers in 2020, serving as the team’s primary kick and punt returner under head coach Matt Rhule. During that season, he returned 18 kicks for 430 yards and 20 punts for 117 yards. Before joining the Panthers, Cooper was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft. In his second year with the Rams, he earned first-team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection for leading the league with an average of 27.9 yards per kickoff return.
Throughout his seven-year professional career, Cooper also had stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, and New York Giants.
