Cooper Kupp had achieved greatness with the Los Angeles Rams during his eight seasons with the team. The issue was that he had passed 30 years old and had a number of years where he wasn't able to play a full season due to injuries. Maybe he was done. The Seattle Seahawks didn't think so.
The Rams, according to Michael Silver of The Athletic, "urged" Kupp to retire. That seems rather rude, however. Los Angeles knew they didn't want to pay the wide receiver anymore, but they didn't want to simply release him and look bad, either. Yet, trying to get someone to quit when they don't want to is even worse.
Los Angeles did eventually release Kupp, and he was fairly quickly scooped up by the Seahawks. General manager John Schneider didn't want the veteran simply for his potential production on the field, but for his leadership on a young roster.
Cooper Kupp molded the disrespect from the Rams into high-end success with the Seattle Seahawks
Kupp fit the change Seattle wanted to make. Instead of the emotional volatility of quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver DK Metcalf, Schneider wanted the more stable and poised Sam Darnold and Kupp, among others. One of the reasons the Seahawks are in the Super Bowl this year has to do with adding leaders in Kupp, Darnold, and edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence.
Kupp likely shocked the Rams and their fans by missing just one game this season. His raw production was his lowest since 2018, but that didn't matter. His ability to block and draw attention allowed teammates Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Kenneth Walker to have excellent seasons. Kupp is a teammate first, and that is how the Seahawks have been made up as a whole.
Schneider also didn't simply give Cooper Kupp a cheap one-year deal. He signed the wideout to three years. No guaranteed money exists in years two or three, but that is how Schneider does most contracts. He didn't do anything differently with Kupp for fear that the wide receiver would get hurt.
Maybe Kupp will do as the Los Angeles Rams wished after this season, though. The issue for LA is that it would simply be one year too late. Cooper Kupp could win the second championship of his career if the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. Perhaps Kupp wants to go out a winner.
But hopefully not. He could return to the Seahawks for at least one more season and help a young team grow further. After all, should Seattle win a championship this season, it might not be the end of its run. No reason exists that the Seahawks can't be right back in the Super Bowl again next year.