Nick Saban shares revealing Alabama stories about 'misunderstood' Amari Cooper

Amari Cooper joined the fourth team of his NFL career this week when the Buffalo Bills traded for the veteran wide receiver. One of the most underrated and under-the-radar players at the position across the entire league.

Cooper’s reserved personality dates back to his college playing days at Alabama under Nick Saban. Who recently reacted to his former player joining the Bills and pulled back the curtain on his soft-spoken nature during The Pat McAfee Show.

“I think Amari Cooper is a great player and I think he’ll make a huge impact with the Bills. Who have a good offensive team, good quarterback and all that,” Saban said on Friday. “But I think Amari Cooper sometimes is a little bit misunderstood because he’s such a quiet guy. I mean he went through three or four years at Alabama, however long he was there, and I don’t know if we ever had a conversation.”

Cooper let his play do the talking at Alabama, still the program’s single-season record-holder for receptions with 124 during the 2017 season. Catching 228 passes for 3,463 yards and 31 touchdowns in his three-year career with the Crimson Tide. A national champion, Biletnikoff Award winner, and a five-time Pro Bowler in the midst of his 10th NFL season.

“He was never in trouble, he never came in my office, he did everything he was supposed to do, he’s a great person, went to class, did everything you asked, practiced hard, did everything. But never said a word,” Saban explained. “So sometimes as a coach, you feel like, well this guy’s not really with it, or he’s not really with us. But he is. He’s a great competitor, he made a lot of plays that made huge impacts on games, and I think he has the capability of doing that.”

“So I think when you have a player like that, sometimes in your organization or as a coach, you think this guy’s really not competing or he’s really not the kind of guy that is engaged with the team. But he really is in his own way, he’s just a very shy personality.”

Saban added that Cooper’s personality is especially unique given the position he plays, with wide receivers garnering a high-maintenance reputation over time with a need for the football. Also revealing another interesting tidbit about Cooper from his college days.

“I mean you’re talking about a guy that didn’t learn how to drive until he’s a sophomore and junior in college. He never had a driver’s license,” Saban said. “From a tough area in Miami, he’s got a great mama. But some people are a little bit, socially, maybe not as engaged in their growing process and that’s the way he is.”

“I love the guy, if I was coaching a team, I’d want him on my team.”

It will be fascinating to see how Amari Cooper fits both on and off the field for the Buffalo Bills. A 4-2 squad with Super Bowl aspirations led by one of the biggest quarterbacks on and off the field in Josh Allen.