Not much more can go wrong for 9 year NFL Veteran Chris Cooley. He was released from the Washington Redskins just 2 weeks ago, after playing his whole career with the team, and becoming arguably one of the teams most recognizable faces. It was announced today that he is now divorcing from his second wife of four years,Christy Oglevee.
Cooley who was a 2 time Pro-Bowl selection with the Redskins, and who currently holds the all time franchise record for receptions, left the team in good spirits. Upon being told that he was no longer the starter, due to Fred Davis taking over that role, he decided to leave the team in search of a starting spot.
Subsequently nobody has picked Cooley up on their roster since his late August departure from Washington D.C. This news of divorce cannot be good for his psyche and one can speculate on whether or not his psychological and emotional state may be one factor into why an NFL suitor has yet to present themselves. Cooley caught a career high 8 touchdowns in the 2007 season but only played in 5 games last season and no touchdowns on the stat sheet.
Sources close to Chris have said that the divorce was in the works for months. Cooley and Oglevee filed Virginia divorce papers on August 29th, in Loudoun County. The couple separated in January and, despite having no pre-nup, we’re told, have already hammered out a settlement deal.
Cooley has never been one to shy away from the media, and discuss his personal life. To say that this divorce comes as a shock, would be an understatement. Cooley often posted on his blog, TheCooleyZone about how happy the two were, and how she was his best friend and dream woman. He even said, of his then wife, “She’s the most influential person in my life. We’re extremely good friends as well as in love.”
One can only hope that he gets picked up by another team or even gets his spot back with the Redskins, which is still a possibility, if he doesn’t mind being a backup and settling for less money. This cannot have been an easy pill to swallow. Here’s hoping that he lands back on his feet as soon as possible. Divorce is never a fun thing to go through, and losing your job in the same month must be increasingly difficult. Could this divorce be the turnaround that Cooley needed to become a starter in the NFL again or the final straw for a career that stretched 8 seasons, 33 touchdowns and 4703 receiving yards? Perhaps marriage isn’t what he needs right now, but a job in the NFL most certainly is.