Cooper Kupp showed up to face the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game with the same professionalism that’s defined his whole career. Instead of getting caught up in the drama of playing his old team—the one that let him go just ten months ago—he locked in on helping the Seattle Seahawks move forward.
When someone asked about the emotional weight of facing his former squad, he shrugged it off. He said his story was just one of 53 playing out on that field, all chasing the same Super Bowl dream.
The approach worked. The Seahawks took down the Rams, sending Kupp to his second Super Bowl and giving Seattle a shot at glory for the first time in over a decade.
This year, his numbers dipped—47 catches, 593 yards, a far cry from his record-breaking 2021 with LA. Still, he found ways to leave his mark on the team’s run.
Let’s dig into how this young man handled the bizarre challenge of taking on the franchise where he once earned Super Bowl MVP honors. His journey from Rams castoff to Seahawks difference-maker? It’s a wild one.
Cooper Kupp’s Professionalism Against His Former Team
Kupp’s approach to the NFC Championship matchup against the Rams was all about maturity and a true team-first mentality. He didn’t let his epic history with LA distract him—he just wanted to help Seattle punch their ticket to the Super Bowl.
Maintaining Class and Focus in a High-Stakes Matchup
When he lined up against the Rams, he refused to make it a personal revenge tour. Even as one of just five Super Bowl MVPs to face their old championship team in the playoffs, he kept his sights on the Seahawks’ bigger picture.
“My story is just one of 53 that are going to be on that field,” he said. He made it clear that every Seahawk had their own journey to this moment, and he wasn’t about to hog the spotlight.
He talked about how playing for your teammates beats chasing individual headlines any day. “It’s even more powerful when you’re playing for the guys next to you,” he insisted. That attitude helped him keep things in perspective, even as he faced off against old friends and coaches he’d spent years with.
Kupp’s Unique Mindset Facing the Rams
Kupp didn’t pretend the situation wasn’t weird. The game was in his home state of Washington, where he grew up in Yakima and made a name for himself at AC Davis High and Eastern Washington.
He’d be staring down Matthew Stafford—his old quarterback—and Sean McVay, the coach who helped him snag that Super Bowl LVI ring. Even so, Kupp stayed grounded.
He said he just took things “one day at a time,” knowing all 53 guys had their own stories converging for this shot. He kept his emotions in check, focusing on doing his job—whatever the play call demanded.
His numbers dropped with Seattle, but he didn’t let that rattle him. Kupp admitted everyone wants to put up stats, but he cared more about being “an asset for the coaches and being a tool” they could count on.
How Kupp Handled the Transition to the Seahawks
Leaving LA for Seattle meant Kupp had to reinvent himself. After the Rams cut him loose to save money, he wasted no time signing with their division rival.
Instead of sulking, he found new purpose in whatever role Seattle needed. Mike Macdonald called him “a force multiplier,” especially in the receiver room.
Coach Macdonald praised how Kupp broke down complex plays for everyone. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak went even further: “I’ve learned a lot from Cooper. He’s teaching me things every week, bringing ideas to our staff that we use every Sunday.”
Kupp’s impact wasn’t limited to his catches. He became the go-to guy for receiver run blocking, setting a standard for the whole group. Even with Jaxon Smith-Njigba racking up league-leading yards, Kupp was “ecstatic” to play his part. When the stakes were high—like his five catches for 60 yards against the 49ers—he reminded everyone he could still deliver.
Kupp’s Journey: From Rams Star to Seahawks Super Bowl Berth
Kupp’s move from Rams legend to Seahawks sparkplug ended up as one of the NFL’s best stories this season. The journey took him from a salary cap casualty to a homecoming hero in the Pacific Northwest, with a whole new role to master.
Departure from Los Angeles and the Reasoning Behind the Move
The Rams let Kupp go in a salary cap crunch, just ten months before the NFC Championship Game. That move ended an eight-year run that included a Super Bowl 56 win and a 2021 season for the ages—1,947 yards, 145 catches, 16 touchdowns.
His Super Bowl MVP outing against the Bengals? Eight grabs, 92 yards, two scores with Stafford and McVay. The Rams had to make tough calls, and cutting Kupp—despite his heroics—was one of them.
That breakup stung. After nearly a decade together, Kupp, Stafford, and McVay had built a bond that went way beyond football.
Joining the Seahawks: Homecoming and New Challenges
Seattle scooped up Kupp fast, bringing him back to his roots. He’d grown up in Yakima, starred at AC Davis High, and balled out at Eastern Washington, where he won the Walter Payton Award.
For the Seahawks, it wasn’t just about adding another receiver. Kupp brought deep NFC West knowledge and championship swagger to a group already featuring rising star Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Life in Seattle looked different—way fewer passes, and Smith-Njigba was the clear statistical leader. Kupp had to adjust to a supporting role.
Impact on and off the Field in Seattle’s Super Bowl Run
Kupp wrapped up the regular season with 47 catches, 593 yards, and two touchdowns. Not eye-popping, but coaches and teammates saw his value in other ways.
Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak kept picking up new tricks from Kupp, working his ideas into the playbook. His knack for simplifying complicated schemes made life easier for younger receivers and even some coaches.
Key Contributions:
- Elite run-blocking that set the tone for the whole receiver room
- Strategic input that shaped weekly offensive schemes
- Mentoring up-and-coming players
- Bringing Super Bowl-level preparation and expectations
Jake Bobo joked that the whole group was enrolled in “the Cooper Kupp school of receiver run blocking,” and honestly, who wouldn’t want to learn from a guy like that?
Key Performances and Veteran Influence in the NFC Championship
Kupp led the Seahawks with five catches for 60 yards in the divisional round win over the 49ers. That’s nearly half the team’s receiving yards, which is wild considering his regular season role had shrunk.
He just keeps showing up when it matters most.
The NFC Championship Game against the Rams? That’s a story in itself. Kupp became only the fifth former Super Bowl MVP to ever face his old championship team in the playoffs—joining names like Richard Dent, Peyton Manning, Santonio Holmes, and Von Miller.
And if that wasn’t enough, the game happened in his home state. Kind of poetic, honestly.
But Kupp didn’t want to dwell on the emotions or the headlines. He said he just wanted to focus on the 53 guys in Seattle’s locker room, each chasing their own shot at glory.
He made it clear: the narratives are fun, sure, but he’s there to do his job and lift up his teammates. That’s been his vibe all along—steady, reliable, and all about the group, not the spotlight.
