South Carolina Football: Gamecock legend officially retires from NFL

South Carolina football legend Pharoh Cooper has retired from the NFL after 8 years.

Cooper spent three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, parts of three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, and parts of one year each with the Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Giants.

His best years as a professional came with the Rams and Cardinals as he had his top season as a receiver with the Cardinals in 2019 and was an All-Pro return man in 2017 with the Rams. With Los Angeles in '17, Cooper was a First Team All-Pro at kick returner after leading the entire NFL in average return yardage and scoring a 103-yard touchdown. He pulled off the rare feat of making the All-Pro team twice in the same season by being named a Second Team All-Pro at punt returner after averaging almost 13 yards per return.

During his South Carolina football career, Cooper was an all-SEC performer at wide receiver twice, a Freshman All-American as an offensive utility player, and is one of just five receivers in program history to log a 1000-yard season.

Cooper came to USC as a lightly-recruited defensive back prospect, but Gamecock head coach Steve Spurrier told his coaching staff that "Fay-row" was moving to offense, and there was nothing they could do about it. The rest is history as he went on to become one of the best to ever don the block C on his helmet.

Cooper's performance against the rival Tennessee Volunteers in 2014 is still one of the greatest games in program history. Coop logged a ridiculous 233 yards on 11 catches and 2 touchdowns in the game while also rushing for 23 yards and a score, and passing for 30 yards and a touchdown as he was a one-man show against the Vols that night in Williams-Brice Stadium.

Cooper was a 4th round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 NFL Draft after his junior season with the Gamecocks.