Late last week, wide receiver Riley Cooper took an indefinite leave from the Eagles as he sought sensitivity training following his use of a racist slur being caught on camera.
Tuesday, the Patriots learned ‘indefinite’ meant ‘four days.’
Cooper returned to practice just in time for the first of the Pats-Eagles three joint sessions preceding the teams’ preseason opener against each other Friday night.
In an eight-minute press conference, Cooper was reportedly remorseful, but by all accounts relations with his teammates are being patched up. He said he apologized to each one face to face.
‘It’s great to be back doing what I love to do, play football,’ Cooper told the media. ‘I realize being in the NFL you have responsibility to behave on and off the field. I realize that.
‘I realize how many people I hurt, how many families I hurt, how many kids I hurt. It’s going to be tough. I’m going to live with this every day the rest of my life. It’s one of those things you can’t let affect your play on the field.’
Cooper caught a pair of touchdown passes Tuesday against the Patriots defense.
The Patriots, of course, stayed mum on the issue. Bill Belichick said he did not address the issue with his defensive backs, and Tim Tebow ‘ who roomed with Cooper when they both played at the University of Florida ‘ mostly declined comment.
‘I’m just going to keep our relationship private, and I think that’s where it needs to be,’ Tebow told media, adding ‘But I was definitely praying for him.”
