Amari Cooper returns against the New Orleans Saints after overcoming a Corona illness. After the game, he compares his absence to basketball legend Michael Jordan. In return, he receives a fair amount of headwind.

Munich – For two weeks, wide receiver Amari Cooper missed weeks with a Corona illness for the Dallas Cowboys.

He finally made his comeback against the New Orleans Saints. At the end of the game he had two receptions and 41 receiving yards. After the game he caused a stir with statements about his time in quarantine.

Cooper brings in Michael Jordan

“It was tough not being able to play,” he said at the postgame press conference. “Michael Jordan could play with the flu, too. That’s how I perceived it,” the 27-year-old explained.

Because Cooper is unvaccinated, he was automatically quarantined for ten days – regardless of healing or symptom progression. Because he appeared to have little to no symptoms, he felt the quarantine requirement was unfair.

“It was a rule that I could not play. I could have actually played, but because of the rules I was forbidden to do so,” he concluded. His comparison to Michael Jordan in particular was met with criticism on social media.

Fans criticise Dallas star

The former Chicago Bulls superstar played in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in 1997 despite suffering from a severe cold and still led his team to victory. Because it is still not clear whether Jordan was ill at all at the time or whether he was suffering from food poisoning, Cooper’s comparison is misleading.

The fact that Cooper can’t or won’t understand that he could easily infect other people and possibly also risk patients as an infected person pissed off some fans.

Read this quote and then get yourself an IQ test, folks. https://t.co/NlyW9f37Zc

– Richard Staple, BSN, RN (@RichStapless) December 3, 2021

Did he not watch the Last Dance?! https://t.co/oBH757vasi

– Tobey? (@AGEofTOBEY) December 3, 2021

How can anyone be this stupid https://t.co/GWx95HYvLs

– Bd@irB@ll (@Bd_irB_ll) December 3, 2021

bruh WHAT? https://t.co/ZXm90Ky1o9

– jus (@southsidejus) December 3, 2021

Also, the fact that Cooper is unvaccinated only fits his statements to a certain extent. If he had been vaccinated, he might have been released from quarantine much earlier if he had been asymptomatic.