Ex-Raiders WR Amari Cooper: Jon Gruden’s personality ‘impulsive’
FRISCO, Texas — Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper has studied the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types.
He believes understanding his teammates’ and coaches’ personalities will best position him to achieve success with them.
So allow Cooper, whom the Raiders traded to the Cowboys in October 2018, to analyze his former coach, Jon Gruden.
“It just goes back to what I’ve said in previous interviews of knowing personality types,” Cooper said Thursday after practice. “Knowing Gruden, he was able to make really quick decisions and sometimes it can be impulsive. Sometimes it could be good, sometimes it could be bad.”
Gruden resigned from his position as Raiders head coach Monday night after reports that he used racist, misogynistic and homophobic language in emails from 2011-18 to former Washington Football Team executive Bruce Allen, among others. The Raiders re-hired him as their head coach Jan. 6, 2018. Cooper, whom the Raiders selected No. 4 overall in the 2015 NFL draft, played for Gruden until Gruden dealt him for a first-round draft selection on Oct. 22 of that year. Cooper earned the third of his fourth Pro Bowl honors that season.
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Cooper said he was not surprised to see Gruden’s resignation because nothing surprises him these days. He described the team’s loss of a head coach midseason as “unfortunate” for players, including his former teammates.
“But knowing Gruden, I never thought he was racist, I never thought he was misogynistic, anything like that,” Cooper said.
Cooper explained further how he witnessed Gruden’s impulsive side.
“Like for example, he’s not the type of guy on a fourth down to be hesitant on a fourth down if you’re going to go for it or not—that’s where it’s a good thing,” Cooper said. “He’s not the type of guy to take 15-20 minutes to decide what he’s going to be wearing.
“But then on the other hand, it can be a bad thing when you’re impulsive like that—I guess when you just feel like you have to say something and you just say it without thinking. It’s just his personality, I guess."
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott also addressed Gruden’s comments and what is expected in the NFL from leaders.
“You have to be sensitive and educated any time that you speak to make sure that you are not hurting somebody and upsetting one race, gender or whatever it is,” Prescott said. “I think it's important just to love. Me as a leader, that’s the only thing I try to do is to love. To be there for somebody and show support.
“And try to not show any dislike or obviously any sign of hate or anything of that nature.”
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amari Cooper: Jon Gruden has 'impulsive' personality
