Cooper Kupp grew up watching the Seahawks. Now he’s playing for them

By Canadian Press on March 18, 2025.

Receiver Cooper Kupp grew up watching the Seattle Seahawks. Now he’s playing for them.

Kupp, who is from Yakima, Washington, and played at Eastern Washington, was introduced as the newest Seahawk on Tuesday after signing a three-year deal worth $45 million.

Kupp’s memories were jogged as he walked through the Seahawks’ practice facility, recalling some of the team’s greatest moments depicted in photographs on the walls.

“Growing up watching Seattle, watching football being a huge part of my life and then playing at Eastern Washington, full circle moment coming back and being able to throw on a Seattle Seahawks uniform, it’s a really cool thing,” he said.

Kupp, the Super Bowl 56 MVP, comes to Seattle after eight years with the Los Angeles Rams, who released him last week. He and Jaxon Smith-Njigba will help replace DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, who left Seattle in free agency.

The Seahawks have also brought in quarterback Sam Darnold after trading Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Kupp said getting released by the Rams was hard.

“I’m sure they have their reasons for why they want to do things, whatever it is. Not a ton of clarity in that regard,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I’m thankful to be able to walk away from that organization and be able to look back on all those memories, all those experiences, all those things that we were able to go through together and the relationships that we had with so many people there, and look at it in a positive light and be very thankful for my time in Los Angeles.”

Kupp was the AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 when he won the receiving triple crown by catching 145 passes for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns. He added 33 catches for 478 yards and six TDs in the postseason, including the winning touchdown in a Super Bowl win over Cincinnati on the Rams’ home field.

But he’s been plagued by injuries for the past three seasons and hasn’t had 900 yards receiving during that span.

Last season he missed four early games with an ankle injury. Kupp had just 12 catches for 162 yards in the final five games of the regular season during the least productive stretch of his career.

His role was also diminished with the Rams as Puka Nacua emerged as an elite NFL receiver the past two seasons.

Kupp said he has tried not to listen to the naysayers.

“I know how to navigate these waters. I’ve been here before, and it’s not about the negative energy. It’s not about proving anyone else wrong, trying to make anyone else feel bad about anything,” he said. “It’s just about being myself and being who I believe I can be and going out there and playing the game I love.”

Kupp was drafted in the third round in 2017 out of Eastern Washington in coach Sean McVay’s first draft class. He had been a centerpiece of the offense throughout his career, catching 634 passes for 7,776 yards and 57 touchdowns.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press

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