This was the troubling box that Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie constructed for himself in 2013. The one where Cooper, who is white, was caught on video uttering a racial epithet about a Black security guard at a country music concert, then faced little NFL consequence beyond a monetary fine and a lifetime of Google infamy.
For years, the memory of Cooper’s disgraceful moment remained tucked under one of those times sure have changed categories in the NFL. Surely in today’s environment, with so much energy expended on tearing down racial tropes in America, the most hateful words and messages wouldn’t be tolerated, let alone diffused by apologies under the guise of ignorance.