I can’t get enough of the Cooper DeJean story. I have spent hours this morning mindlessly scrolling through the internet in search of hilarious memes, tweets and reactions about him. It is not every day that we witness a white cornerback in the NFL – it truly feels like spotting an elusive unicorn or bigfoot out in the wild! As much as some people may want to leave race out of this discussion entirely, I believe we have to talk about Cooper’s unique background.
Cooper DeJean is a white cornerback from Iowa who has recently been drafted into the Philadelphia Eagles. It was only natural for him to be asked during his introductory press conference whether being white would pose any challenges in such an intensely competitive league, and he handled it with grace and humor – two traits that will serve him well as a rookie.
As much as some people may want us all to ignore race altogether when discussing Cooper’s career prospects, the fact remains that there aren’t many white cornerbacks in NFL history (I can only think of Jason Sehorn offhand). This makes his story even more fascinating and worthy of discussion – it is a rare occurrence indeed!
Some people may remember Rashard Mendenhall causing quite a stir on social media when he suggested an all-white vs. All-black Pro Bowl team back in the day, which many found to be racially insensitive at best (and downright ridiculous at worst). I personally thought it was hilarious – as someone who is white myself and can objectively say that Cooper’s deceptive speed might not necessarily carry him against players of different hues on faster team-lists! In essence, one person’s fast may be another person’s slow.
But some people got really angry at Rashard back then and called his idea out for being overtly bigoted; to my way of thinking (as an opinion writer with Outkick), all it reveals is how touchy-feely our society has become in recent times, unable as we are to laugh at anything that might be considered ‘edgy’ or even remotely humorous.
In any case, Cooper DeJean represents a breakthrough moment for white cornerbacks everywhere – and I can only imagine the kind of pressure he must have been under during his draft-night! Imagine trying your hand (pun intended) at one of sports’ toughest positions while being simultaneously labeled as ‘our Jackie Robinson’ by some sections of society.
It is high time we stopped treating race like a third rail and instead began to discuss such matters with an open mind – the way Cooper seems set to handle things on the football field! I am excited about his prospects, not just because he represents something new in NFL history but also because he brings humor (and hopefully some wins) into our lives at this difficult time.
As much as it’s OK to get emotional or offended when discussing race-related issues these days, we should all remember that laughter is the best medicine for any society facing challenges and hardships in equal measure! So here’s my advice – laugh a little harder whenever Cooper makes his mark on NFL history books (as he undoubtedly will) because it’ll be worth celebrating.
In conclusion, I want to urge everybody to have more humorous approaches about white people that plays for CornerBack position in the National Football League(NFL). It is a rare occurrence indeed! Cooper DeJean has made history by becoming the first White cornerback since Jason Sehorn who was also inducted into Pro-Football Hall of Fame. I can’t wait to see what he brings to the table and how his story unfolds in the coming years. Let’s celebrate this unique moment together!
So, did you laugh? Do let me know at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com if there is anything else that tickles your funny bone about Cooper DeJean or any other NFL-related matter – I am all ears for a good joke these days (as long as it’s not too politically incorrect, of course)!
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