There are many ways to build a winning team. Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider has done it twice in two very different eras, though he's followed a somewhat similar formula: Defenses win championships.
While some organizations build through the NFL Draft, others don't care about picks and want to go all-in with proven stars. To each its own, and there's no right way to operate when it comes to getting the job done.
Cooper Kupp can attest to that. He's been fortunate enough to play for two blue-chip organizations, winning a Super Bowl with each. That's why he's an authorized voice to discuss just how different Mike Macdonald is from Sean McVay.
Cooper Kupp likes Mike Macdonald's tough coaching with the Seattle Seahawks
In a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, the former Triple Crown winner detailed how different things were for him in Seattle after spending his entire career with the Los Angeles Rams' analytics-driven approach.
“You get to Seattle, and it’s like, ‘Hey, there’s a piece of this. We’re just going to play harder than you. We’re going to outcompete you. We’re just going to play more physical than you,’” Kupp said. “I’m not seeing the data sheets. I’m not seeing the Excel spreadsheet that says this is how we’re going to win games. It’s like, ‘No, no, we’re just going to come and hit them really, really hard, and we’re just going to will ourselves to win.’
Again, this doesn't mean things didn't work out for Kupp in Los Angeles. He had his best years there, led the league in all major categories, and played an instrumental role in giving McVay his first Super Bowl title.
Still, given his gritty, physical style, it's pretty clear he was a natural fit in Seattle. Later on in the show, he detailed how Coach Macdonald emphasized the importance of one-on-one drills through training camp.
Iron sharpens iron, and having everyone compete as hard as if it were the Super Bowl ultimately prepared them for the actual test. That approach might not be for everyone, but it worked like a charm in Seattle.
Now, everyone will be aiming for the Seahawks' crown and trying to take a page from their playbook. The Seahawks will go from hunters to hunted, and that means almost every other team will try to figure out how to copy what worked.
That won't be the case in Los Angeles, though. Coach McVay runs a tight operation, and it's hard to deny that he's also found plenty of success with the way he's handled things since taking the reins of the organization.
Perhaps Kupp's inside knowledge of their preparation can help the Seahawks get the best of them when it matters the most again next season. They'll have to wait until late in the campaign to meet with their biggest threat to another Vince Lombardi trophy, and while every game matters, Macdonald and his coaching staff will probably treat every week as preparation for that very moment.
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