Jan 27, 2026
3 min read
Mike Silver of The Athletic has revealed the new details of the controversial departure of Seahawks WR Cooper Kupp from the Los Angeles Rams.
Disinfection for the dispute Seahawks WR Cooper Kupa are the rams
January 26, 2026 at 2:39 pm
It's hard to say whether winning the NFC Championship means more to one player than another, but it sure looks like the Seattle Seahawks' 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday meant more to Cooper Cope.
The Seattle Seahawks have a great way to open the JSN with a shot at the NFC title
Kupp spent the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Rams before signing with the Seahawks and returning to his hometown for the final season.
During his time in Los Angeles, Kupp went from a little-known receiver drafted in the third round out of FCS school Eastern Washington to one of the league's premier pass catchers.This included his standout 2021 campaign, when he had the second-most receptions (145) and receiving yards (1,947) in a season in league history before being named MVP of the Rams' Super Bowl LVI victory.
However, the tenure of Kupp in Los Angeles has ended without ceremoniously when he was cut after the 2024 season.
It was clear at the time that Kupp was not happy with the decision.In a statement on social media in February, he revealed that he had been informed of the decision, writing, "I disagree with the decision and always believed it would start and end in LA."
But The Athletic's Michael Silver reported Sunday night that the party split is more complicated than initially thought.
When the Rams cut Cupp, they also asked him to retire, Silver reported.And Cupp believed that the Rams "cautioned officials not to pay veterans anything more than the minimum, suggesting that age and injury accumulation have significantly decreased."
The rift between Kupp and the Rams runs even deeper.
After the Rams drafted wide receiver Puacu Nacua in the fifth round of the 2023 draft as he began to become a star, Kupp "felt like an emotion going through a steep decline in plays trying to get the ball."
Los Angeles has also been involved in trade talks regarding Kupp in the 2024 season, but insists they were just calls from other teams.Kupp believed it was "disingenuous," according to Silver.
The drama between Kupp and the Rams nearly overshadowed a physical altercation between the Seahawks and Rams coaches earlier this season, Silver said.
When the Seahawks and Rams met at Lumen Field in Week 16, Kupp had a costly fumble after catching a pass and forcing a fumble in the red zone in the final minute of the first half, ending Seattle's chances to score before halftime.
As the Rams and Seahawks assistants took a shared elevator to their locker rooms at halftime, a witness said the Rams coaches were moving, according to Silver.When one Rams coach asked what the Seahawks player was up to, the other said Kupp, and the coach who asked the question laughed.That reportedly sparked a firestorm for the Seahawks without quarterbacks coach Chris Partridge.A backlash ensued, and he was later yelled at by Rams pass coordinator Drew Wilkens.Seahawks coaches should have held Partridge down to prevent a potential concussion.
News of the altercation returned to the Seahawks' locker room, fueling Seattle's 16-point lead in the fourth quarter to rally 38-37 in overtime.
With Sunday's NFC Championship victory added, Kupp got the last laugh against his former team.Not only did the Seahawks come out on top, the Yakima native also played a major role in ending his previous career.
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Kupp made a 12-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 3rd-and-9 and extend the season after the Rams went up 24-20.He won the game with a 13-yard TD run that ended Seattle's 31-27 victory.In addition, Kupp also caught a corkscrew.Where he held on to the ball long enough to convert on third down and make a defensive call on the Seahawks' final drive that allowed them to leave the Rams with just 25 seconds left to try and drive 93 yards for the game-winning score.
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