Many people are highlighting the battle between Seans and Mikes entering the NFL's conference championship week, but a different storyline should draw further attention.
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Seattle Seahawks receiver Cooper Kupp can end his former team's season while sending his new team to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2014 season. He can hurt the Los Angeles Rams, the team that drafted him several years ago.
On the surface, having a player face off with his former team is nothing out of the ordinary. Trades and free agent signings make this a regular occurrence. The big difference in this situation, however, is the impact that Kupp made on the Los Angeles Rams before joining the Seattle Seahawks.
Kupp started his NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams. He joined the team as a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and quickly became a key part of the offense despite missing time due to injuries.
The Eastern Washington product posted his first 1,100-yard season in 2019 while catching 10 touchdown passes. Two years later, he led the NFL with 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also led the league with 89 receptions going for first downs.
This season resulted in Kupp earning his first All-Pro nod and Offensive Player of the Year. He also won another award on the biggest stage.
He added Super Bowl MVP to his resume after catching eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns. He served as the most reliable target for quarterback Matthew Stafford as the Rams defeated the Bengals 23-20.
Kupp remained in Los Angeles through the 2024 season, but he ultimately moved north. He joined the Seahawks for the 2025 season and started catching passes from quarterback Sam Darnold.
Kupp has not been the focus in the Pacific Northwest this year — that honor belongs to Jaxon Smith-Njigba — but he has caught 47 passes for 593 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught five passes on five targets for 60 yards last weekend as the Seahawks defeated the 49ers 41-6.
Now, he will face his former team for the third time this season, albeit with greater stakes. If the Seahawks win, he gets to play in his second Super Bowl. He just has to eliminate his former team in the process.
