Riley Cooper Apology

Embarrassed Eagles receiver Riley Cooper stood fittingly with his back to a wall outside the team's training complex press room Wednesday night, apologizing for a racial epithet used after a confrontation with an African American security guard working a June 8 Kenny Chesney concert. The six-minute, 45-second apology -- which followed a Twitter apology -- was only the beginning for Cooper, who was fined an undisclosed amount by the team and now awaits word on whether the NFL will tack on more discipline. There was a confrontation and I handled it extremely, extremely poorly,'' Cooper said to 25 reporters and six local television cameras. I accept that. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello declined to say if the league would take further discipline, adding, "The NFL stands for diversity and inclusion. In a video that has gone viral, Cooper said, "I will jump that fence and fight every (N-word) here, bro." I'm willing to accept any consequences.'' Cooper was asked how he let a racial slur, shown on CrossingBroad.com, come out of his mouth? "I shouldn't have,'' Cooper said. "I'm disgusted. And I'm sorry. Cooper's profane epithet was the first test of first-year coach Chip Kelly's crisis management. The fourth-year receiver, who is the team's No. 2 receiver opposite DeSean Jackson following last weekend's season-ending knee injury suffered by Jeremy Maclin, said he met with owner Jeffrey Lurie, general manager Howie Roseman and Kelly. Cooper declined to reveal the amount he was fined, but said the punishment was a joint decision by the three. Laurie said in a statement: "We are shocked and appalled by Riley Cooper's words. Cooper was asked if he expects to be a marked man in the league now. I just know how sorry I am right now.'' Curiously, Marcus Vick, brother of Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, placed a $1,000 bounty on Cooper via Twitter on Wednesday night, offering the money to any safety who laid a good lick on the receiver. If there is someone Cooper can look to for a road back, it is former NFL quarterback Kerry Collins, who used a racial slur in jest after a night out drinking with black teammates on the Carolina Panthers in the late 1990s before the New York Giants threw Collins a lifeline and he made the most of it, leading the team to the Super Bowl in the 2000 season. Before that, Collins was arrested for drunken driving and was accused by Carolina Panthers teammates of quitting on his team. "I've been called a racist, a drunk and a quitter.