The Cooper Kupp era in Los Angeles is coming to an end.
The wide receiver, who was the MVP of the team’s Super Bowl LVI title three years ago, announced on X, formerly Twitter, that he has been informed by the team that they plan to trade him, and will work with him and his family to find a desired landing spot.
“I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA,” Kupp wrote on X. “Still, if there’s one thing that I have learned over the years: there are so many things that are out of your control, but it is how you respond to these things that you will look back on and remember.”
Kupp was drafted by the Rams in the third round in 2017, the first draft after the team hired head coach Sean McVay. By 2019, he recorded his first 1,000-yard season.
But Kupp truly blossomed in 2021 after the Rams traded for quarterback Matthew Stafford. The addition jump-started the entire offense, but Kupp in particular as he led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, winning Offensive Player of the Year.
Kupp would go on to catch the game-winning touchdown against the Bengals in the Super Bowl that year at SoFi Stadium, giving the Rams the lead with 1:25 to play.
But injuries dogged his final three seasons with the Rams. He played in nine games in 2022 after suffering a high ankle sprain, then only in 12 each of the last two years as ankle and hamstring injuries have impacted him.
Following the Rams’ season-ending loss to the Eagles in the divisional round of the postseason, McVay and general manager Les Snead declined to commit to Kupp being a part of the team in 2025, saying they had to meet still as an organization to come to those decisions. Kupp, for his part, said he wasn’t sure what the future held in store for him.
But now he’ll put on a new uniform for the first time after eight seasons as a Ram.
“I have taken so much pride in playing alongside my teammates for the LA community, so thank you for embracing my family and making this such a special place for us,” Kupp wrote. “2024 began with one of the best training camps of my career. Preparations start now for 2025. Highly motivated, as healthy as ever, and looking forward to playing elite football for years to come.”
More to come on this story.