Eagles: Riley Cooper received threatening tweets prior to video release

PHILADELPHIA - August 4, 2013 (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Eagles have released a statement regarding Riley Cooper receiving tweets about the video showing him saying a racial slur prior to its release.

In the statement, the Eagles say Cooper told team officials he did not know of the video prior to its release.

The statement appears to be in response to a report on CrossingBroad.com, the Philadelphia sports blog that released the initial video on Wednesday, that Cooper had knowledge of the controversial video's existence prior to Wednesday.

The website says, "The video had been circulated amongst a small group of friends, several of whom contacted Cooper via Twitter over the past month and a half."

According to CrossingBroad, sources told them that Cooper was contacted 10 to 15 times on Twitter since mid-June about the video.

The website goes on to say, "Two of the people who contacted Cooper, one of whom eventually provided us with the video, confirmed that Cooper blocked them on Twitter, perhaps as recently as [last] Sunday night."

The following is the Eagles' full statement released Sunday afternoon:

"Riley Cooper made us aware of the tweets when the video became public. He told us that he did not know about the video. He informed us he blocked the tweets because he did not know the person nor understand the context of what that person was threatening. We promptly alerted NFL Security. This information potentially speaks to a legal issue that is a matter between Riley and the authorities. Our focus has been on Riley's words and actions."

At training camp Sunday, Coach Chip Kelly did not address the statement.

Meanwhile, the Eagles excused Cooper from all team activities on Friday while the wide receiver seeks counseling.

The video, which was first posted on Crossingbroad.com, shows Cooper outside the Lincoln Financial Field during a Kenny Chesney concert back in June.

A visibly agitated Cooper can be heard saying, "I will jump that fence and fight every [n-word] in here, bro."

At one point, Cooper is being restrained.

Riley Cooper was fined by the Eagles, though the amount of the fine has not been released.

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