Riley Cooper Back With Eagles, Everything Back To Normal, Says Michael Vick

Riley Cooper is back with the Philadelphia Eagles, and, as far as Michael Vick is concerned, the team is past the controversy of his racially charged remarks.

The wide receiver was ordered by the team to received outside counseling after a video showed him using racial slurs at a Kenny Chesney concert. The remarks led to a fine from the Eagles and reports that some teammates were quietly asking for the team to release Cooper.

But the Eagles publicly backed the wide receiver, saying his roster spot was never in jeopardy as it shipped him off to sensitivity training.

On Wednesday, as he returned to the team, Riley Cooper got a boost in the form of an endorsement from quarterback Michael Vick.

“Everything is back to normal,” Vick told NFL.com’s Albert Breer.

“I’m so proud of my teammates because of their resolve,” Vick added. “In tough situations and tough times, you have to be able to persevere and kind of become bigger than the situation, so to speak… I respect these guys because they understand the bigger picture.”

Riley Cooper himself has been apologetic, saying racism is not in his nature. In the days after the incident emerged, Cooper took the time to write a longer apology on Twitter.

“I am so ashamed and disgusted with myself,” he wrote. “I want to apologize. I have been offensive. I have apologized to my coach, to Jeffrey Lurie, to Howie Roseman and to my teammates. I owe an apology to the fans and to this community. I am so ashamed, but there are no excuses. What I did was wrong and I will accept the consequences.”

Cooper seemed at ease with his teammates in his return to training camp. He got a chest bump from Jason Avant, a fellow wide receiver who is black. He also got high-fives and acknowledgment from other teammates.

Though things may seem smoothed over with teammates, insiders believe Riley Cooper is now on a very short leash with new head coach Chip Kelly.