After an epic clash between two bitter division rivals in the NFC Championship, the Seattle Seahawks were able to come out on top against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field this past weekend.
Along with the two best teams in the NFC, if not the entire NFL, going head-to-head in this playoff showdown in Seattle, veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp was going up against his old team and had the chance to prove they made a mistake in moving on from him.
Ultimately, Kupp came through when the Seahawks needed him most, with a crucial touchdown catch and one of the final receptions late in the fourth quarter to officially end the Rams’ season.
Cooper Kupp on Special Moment with Rams QB Matthew Stafford
GettyQuarterback Matthew Stafford #9 and Cooper Kupp #10 of the Los Angeles Rams
After the Seahawks had officially won the game and punched their ticket to the Super Bowl to face the New England Patriots on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in the Bay Area, NFL MVP favorite Matthew Stafford made sure to find Kupp and wish him well in the big game, via the NFL’s X account.
Matthew Stafford made sure to find his guy @CooperKupp and congratulate him. ❤️
@insidetheNFL NFL Playoffs Mic’d Up on X“Go win your damn Super Bowl, kid,” Stafford said to Kupp.
On Monday, during his media availability, Kupp was asked about the moment with Stafford on the field after the NFC Championship Game in Seattle.
“That’s awesome,” Kupp said. “It’s Matthew. Just an unbelievable competitor, unbelievable football player. He’s one of the best to play the position. It’s just what it is. It’s really hard to be on the sidelines watching him with the football. It’s disheartening because you just know what he’s capable of.
“Obviously, so much love for him as a friend. For him, in that moment, to be able to linger out there on the field and come find me, it means a lot. That was a pretty cool moment.”
Rams Encouraged Kupp to Retire Rather Than Sign Elsewhere
GettyCooper Kupp #10 of the Seattle Seahawks
It seems as though Kupp and the Rams parting ways before the start of the 2025 NFL season was anything but smooth, as he wanted to keep playing, but the team urged him to call it a career, believing he was far past his prime.
According to Michael Silver of The Athletic, the Rams did Kupp no favors when he became a free agent with the desire to continue his playing career in the NFL.
“After the 2024 season, rather than trying to negotiate a salary reduction with the former All-Pro, the Rams had unceremoniously cut ties, urging him to retire,” Silver wrote. “As Kupp approached free agency, sources say, he came to believe that some L.A. officials had cautioned potential suitors against paying him anything more than the veteran minimum, suggesting that age and an accumulation of injuries had provoked a steep decline.
“Some potential suitors expressed doubt about signing him because of what they’d heard in league circles — which his camp believed came from the Rams.”
In the end, Kupp got the last laugh, as he now has a chance to win a second Super Bowl ring and potentially retire a two-time champion while also ending his former team’s season in epic fashion.
Seahawks WR Cooper Kupp Opens Up on Heartfelt Moment With Matthew Stafford