Cooper: Trade to Cowboys 'changed me'

Amari Cooper is apparently enjoying football again since his trade to the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys acquired Cooper from the Oakland Raiders for a first-round pick in October, and the wide receiver feels rejuvenated since joining the squad.

"Just reflecting on my last four games (in Dallas) and my personality here, I feel like it did change me, as far as having that chip on my shoulder," Cooper told Yahoo Sports' Kimberley A. Martin. "Not that I wasn't passionate before, but playing with more passion, trying to intentionally have fun out there. It definitely has changed me, in terms of me going out there and just having fun with it.

"Because when you get traded, you start to think, 'Wow, that can happen, just like that.'"

The former first-round pick reflected on the move and the fact he'd never before been traded because he was always an important piece of the team.

"I wasn't really happy in Oakland or anything like that," he continued. "But when I sat and thought about it (Monday) night ... I thought about the fact that they traded me away. I don't know how to feel about it."

Cooper is thriving with the Cowboys, grabbing 22 receptions for 349 yards and three touchdowns over his last four games. He exploded for 180 yards and two scores in a Thanksgiving Day victory over the Washington Redskins last week.

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