FRISCO, Texas – This question had been asked before, but it felt like a fitting week to follow up.
Heading into Sunday's regular season finale, which could be Amari Cooper's last game under contract, it's fair to wonder about his long-term future.
"I want to be here. I like it here," he said.
It isn't a coincidence that question is being asked now. Prior to Friday, the last time Cooper spoke publicly was in the wake of last week's 17-9 loss to Philadelphia. In that game, Cooper finished with a frustrating four catches on 12 targets for just 24 yards.
He watched the Cowboys' crucial 4th-and-8 from the sideline at the end of the game, and he took issue with some of the play calls in the post game locker room.
"I feel like it's always frustrating as a player if you leave the game knowing that you could have accomplished more," he said Friday.
However you want to quantify it, that late-season frustration hasn't changed Cooper's opinion. From his relationship with Dak Prescott to a slew of other reasons, he repeated his stance from earlier this season that this is where he wants to be.
"That is part of me liking it," he said. "My situation on the team, him being the quarterback, the teammates, where I live. Everything."
As frustrating as this season might, it sounds like the Cowboys agree with that assessment. Chief operating officer Stephen Jones appeared on 105.3 FM The Fan on Friday afternoon, and offered firm support of Cooper after the trade the team made to acquire him in October 2018.
"I think at the end of the day we all know what Amari has done for us over the course of a year," he said. "He leads our team in receptions and receiving yards, and he's played really well."
