Cooper Kupp will face his former team twice in 2025. That is just fine with the former Los Angeles Rams star. The Rams informed Kupp they planned to trade him this offseason, a decision the receiver made public, hindering the team’s ability to do so.
Instead, the Rams released Kupp. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency. Kupp said facing the Rams was not his goal but it is a nice bonus.
“I am looking forward to it, and that didn’t play into the decision to come here. It’s a nice little thing on the side to be able to go against those guys and know a lot of those guys. [I] have so much respect for the coaching staff, the way that they handle things down there, the players down there. I am excited about though. It’s gonna be a really cool thing,” Kupp told reporters on March 18.
“When that time comes, it’ll just be football at that point. But I am looking forward to it.”
The Rams cut Kupp in Year 2 of a three-year, $80.1 million contract. He bounced back quickly, landing with his home state team and inking a three-year, $45 million pact with the Seahawks soon after his release.
Kupp admitted feeling frustrated about leaving the Rams, who drafted him No. 69 overall in 2017.
Cooper Kupp Admits Rams Exit ‘Frustrating
GettyFormer Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp waves to fans before a game against the Arizona Cardinals.
“It’s been difficult. In all honesty, it’s been very difficult, and frustrating, and there’s been lots of questions and things that are – it’s a real tough situation. I’ve said I always imagined that I’d finish my career there. But that’s not what the plan was that God had for me and my family. And stepping into this new adventure, this new place, this new chapter, and my career, but also in our lives as my wife and I navigate moving back up home, back up to our home state. And I think that’s something that we’re excited about facing and we’re excited about the community that we get to be a part of, the people are gonna be a part of our lives,” Kupp said.
“It has been difficult, without a doubt. It has been difficult, and we’re humans. We’re real people and it’s been something that’s been, in a lot of ways – I’m thankful to have had a wife to lean on and to count on, to be able to walk through this with because it would be very hard to do by myself, and our boys have been incredible through it all. But yeah, we’re very excited about what the future holds here in Seattle.”
Kupp said in his initial announcement about the Rams’ plans that he disagreed with their decision.
Kupp also said he was motivated for the upcoming season.
Kupp also said the Rams did not offer much “clarity” on why they decided to move on from him this offseason.
“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. But at the end of the day, I was – 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 and something that we always cherish,” Kupp said.
“We are very excited about the chapter ahead and what we can do here in Seattle.”
Cooper Kupp Sends Message to Seahawks Fans
GettyFormer Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp #10 leaves the field after beating the Seattle Seahawks.
Kupp sent a heartfelt message to Rams Nation after his release and as he prepared to join his new team. Following his introductory press conference, Kupp sent a message to his new faithful in Seattle.
“Hey, 12’s!” Kupp said in a video shared via the Seahawks on March 18. “This is Cooper Kupp. Excited to make it officially, coming back.”
Kupp is a Yakima, Washington native, and he attended Washington State University.
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