That checks out: Bills saved Amari Cooper's joy for football with emergency Browns rescue

The Buffalo Bills are ostensibly feeling good after ending the Kansas City Chiefs' undefeated campaign in Week 11. But no one's in a better place than Amari Cooper.

Speaking with reporters after the contest, Cooper couldn't sound much happier about beating the Chiefs. Buffalo's midseason acquisition said it was the "first time in a long [he's] felt joy from winning a game."

Not only that, but Cooper called Buffalo "different" (h/t WROC-TV's Thad Brown). Especially compared to "some of the other places [he's] been to," including his most recent stop before the Bills -- the Cleveland Browns.

After three seasons with the lowly Browns, it's understandable Cooper lost some of the passion that drove him to pursue football in the first place. Cleveland has been a historical dumpster fire for decades with generational misfortune. But with the Bills, he feels reinvigorated, boasting a new lease on life.

Bills saved Amari Cooper's joy for football after trade from Cleveland

While the Browns have enjoyed a successful-ish stretch since head coach Kevin Stefanski took over in 2020, everything's seemingly falling apart at the seams. The entire house of cards is collapsing in Cleveland. Luckily, Cooper was saved by the Bills before it was too late.

Cooper abandoned ship, getting re-routed to what he describes as a "tight-knit" Bills squad. It's a complete 180 from what he was experiencing with the Browns. Or the Dallas Cowboys before that. Or the Las Vegas Raiders, where he began his 10-year career. As you can see, the five-time Pro Bowler has represented some dysfunctional organizations (to keep it concise).

Buffalo sent a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 seventh-round selection to Cleveland in exchange for Cooper and a 2025 sixth-rounder (via the Detroit Lions). He was one of several high-profile veteran wide receivers to change locations ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline.

In Buffalo's pivotal 30-21 victory against the Chiefs, Cooper caught two of his three targets for 55 scoreless yards. While he didn't necessarily stuff the stat sheet, the ex-Brown was happy to be part of a functional and well-oiled unit:

" ... having so many guys on the team who are playmakers and they come up and show up when their number is called. Collectively ... it's just amazing."