College: Temple Height 1.96 m Games played: 133 Weight 119 kg | Name Jim Cooper Education Temple University Role American football player Positions Tackle | |
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Date of birth: (1955-09-28) September 28, 1955 (age 60) Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania High school: Philadelphia (PA) Dougherty NFL draft: 1977 / Round: 6 / Pick: 164 | ||
James Albert Cooper (born September 28, 1955 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Temple University.
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Early years
Cooper played high school football at Cardinal Dougherty High School in Philadelphia, not far from the Temple campus. He was a three-sport athlete, earning varsity letters in football, baseball, and track and field. He was the Catholic League champ in the shot put. His teammates elected him captain in all three sports during his senior year.
He received 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.
Professional career
Cooper was selected by the Dallas Cowboys 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, before replacing Rayfield Wright in 1979 as the starting right tackle.
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 the 1982 season, he helped blocked on Tony Dorsett's record 99-yard touchdown run against the Minnesota Vikings. 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.
Cooper retired in 1986, after being injured most of that year. He played in 133 games, including 2 Super Bowls.
Personal life
After retirement, he focused on managing his family owned company Industrial Container Services.