The Los Angeles Rams played a key role in the Los Angeles Rams victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6 of the 2017 NFL season. At the center of their spectacular outing was wide receiver/kick returner Pharoh Cooper, who started the game off with a bang after a 103-yard touchdown run on the opening kickoff.
Cooper’s touchdown was the first kick return of the 2017 NFL season. His vital role for Los Angeles was good enough to earn him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week:
Congratulations to @KingTutt_chdown for being named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week!
Read 📰 » https://t.co/NOynuAT0sp pic.twitter.com/1gFlSSD1xM
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 18, 2017
Head coach Sean McVay had heavy praise for the second-year man out of South Carolina, according to Rams Insider Myles Simmons:
“Clearly, he makes a big play on the kick return yesterday, but he’s a really good football player,” McVay said. “I think guys like him — you win with players like Pharoh Cooper, because he’s tough, good football player, great competitor. Those are the kind of guys you love to have on your roster and he’s made an impact in a variety of ways for us.”
Cooper has paced all kick returners in yards through much of the year, so it is only fitting that he records the first touchdown of the year. He also took over the Rams punt returning duties after the recent struggles of wideout Tavon Austin.
He is now the fourth player to garner NFC Player of the Week honors through just six games of the 2017 NFL season, joining Todd Gurley, Trumaine Johnson, and Greg Zuerlein.
