Jim Cooper (football player)
Encyclopedia
James Albert Cooper is a former American football
offensive lineman in the National Football League
. He played for the Dallas Cowboys
from 1977 through 1986. He played college football
at Temple University
. Cooper played high school football
at Cardinal Dougherty High School
in Philadelphia, not far from the Temple campus.
. His athletic ability earned him varsity letters in football
, baseball
, and track and field
. He was the Catholic League champ in the shot put
.
His teammates elected him captain of all three sports in his senior year.
He got a football
scholarship from Temple University
where he started for three years as an Offensive tackle.
He was inducted into the Philadelphia Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL Draft
.
The NFL proved difficult at first, getting released at the end of his rookie training camp. But after being signed back during the preseason, he took advantage of this second opportunity, by learning 3 positions (Tackle
, Guard
, Center
) and becoming the most versatile Offensive lineman in the team.
Cooper served as a utility lineman early in his career, playing every position on the Offensive line as a backup.
He became a fixture at right tackle, after replacing Rayfield Wright
in 1979
.
During his time with the Cowboys, center
John Fitzgerald nicknamed the Cowboys offensive line as the "Four Irishmen and a Scott", when it was formed by him, Fitzgerald, Pat Donovan, Tom Rafferty
and Herb Scott
.
In 1984
, he missed half of the season, after being injured on a bizarre accident, when he slipped while rising from a table at a night club, while watching Monday Night Football
. He dislocated his right ankle and in the process broke a bone and ligaments.
He was replaced by Phil Pozderac
the rest of the season.
He retired in 1986
, after being injured most of that year.
Cooper played in 134 games for the Cowboys from 1977
through 1986
, including 2 Super Bowl
s.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive lineman in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He played for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
from 1977 through 1986. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
. Cooper played high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Cardinal Dougherty High School
Cardinal Dougherty High School
Cardinal Dougherty High School was a private, Roman Catholic high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia...
in Philadelphia, not far from the Temple campus.
Early years
He was a three sport athlete during his years at Cardinal Dougherty High SchoolCardinal Dougherty High School
Cardinal Dougherty High School was a private, Roman Catholic high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia...
. His athletic ability earned him varsity letters in football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. He was the Catholic League champ in the shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
.
His teammates elected him captain of all three sports in his senior year.
He got a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
scholarship from Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
where he started for three years as an Offensive tackle.
He was inducted into the Philadelphia Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
Professional career
Cooper was selected by the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL Draft
1977 NFL Draft
The 1977 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1977...
.
The NFL proved difficult at first, getting released at the end of his rookie training camp. But after being signed back during the preseason, he took advantage of this second opportunity, by learning 3 positions (Tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
, Guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
, Center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
) and becoming the most versatile Offensive lineman in the team.
Cooper served as a utility lineman early in his career, playing every position on the Offensive line as a backup.
He became a fixture at right tackle, after replacing Rayfield Wright
Rayfield Wright
Larry Rayfield Wright is a former American football offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.-High school and college years:...
in 1979
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...
.
During his time with the Cowboys, center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
John Fitzgerald nicknamed the Cowboys offensive line as the "Four Irishmen and a Scott", when it was formed by him, Fitzgerald, Pat Donovan, Tom Rafferty
Tom Rafferty
Thomas Michael Rafferty is a former American football offensive lineman in the NFL. He attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School in Manlius, New York, and went on to start four years for coach Joe Paterno at Penn State University earning All-American honors in 1975.-Early years:Rafferty attended...
and Herb Scott
Herbert Scott
Herbert Carnell Scott is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League...
.
In 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
, he missed half of the season, after being injured on a bizarre accident, when he slipped while rising from a table at a night club, while watching Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. He dislocated his right ankle and in the process broke a bone and ligaments.
He was replaced by Phil Pozderac
Phil Pozderac
Philip Maurice Pozderac is a former American football offensive lineman who played six seasons in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the University of Notre Dame....
the rest of the season.
He retired in 1986
1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:...
, after being injured most of that year.
Cooper played in 134 games for the Cowboys from 1977
1977 NFL season
The 1977 NFL season was the 58th regular season of the National Football League. The Seattle Seahawks were placed in the AFC West while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were slotted in the NFC Central....
through 1986
1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:...
, including 2 Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s.