On February 3rd, the entire Los Angeles Rams organization learned that the franchise would soon be seeking a trade for one of its top stars, Cooper Kupp. This news came as a shock, as few expected such a turn of events for the Super Bowl MVP from the 2022 victory over the Bengals. Sean McVay, the coach who developed this great wide receiver, knows that wherever he goes, Kupp’s NFL future remains bright.
During a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, the current head coach of the Rams reflected on the impact Cooper Kupp has had on him over the years, specifically highlighting how he has helped him grow not just as a professional, but also as a person.
“Cooper Kupp has had a massive impact on my life. I’m a better person because of him, and we’ve been [through] a lot together. His legacy is cemented as a Ram, and he’s gonna do a great job wherever his next stop is,” McVay stated.
Coming from Eastern Washington, the wide receiver was selected by the Rams in the 2017 NFL Draft with the 69th pick in the third round. His time with the franchise started off slow but gradually grew, eventually becoming one of their key figures in recent years in Los Angeles.
Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams reacts to Cooper Kupp #10 after a play against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on September 08, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan.
While Kupp’s future in the league remains uncertain, all signs point to him being far from Inglewood. Meanwhile, McVay will need to be extremely strategic in replacing him in the best possible way to ensure his team becomes a serious contender once again in the league.
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The honest conversation between McVay and Kupp
The announcement of Cooper Kupp’s departure from the Rams may have meant a lot to some members of the team, especially to his coach. For this reason, Sean McVay spoke out about the conversation he had with the wide receiver during a recent appearance on the Fitz & Whit Podcast.
“We’ve had to have some honest conversations and here’s the reality too,” McVay started. “I think you always preface it with you know you have a responsibility to the collective. It doesn’t mean you’re right, I’ve been wrong before, and I’ll be wrong again. Doesn’t change my love, my appreciation, my gratitude for everything that he’s meant.
“When you do look at putting together the puzzle, sometimes decisions that you try to be able to make for the collective don’t necessarily fit with people that are so special. No matter what he does, he’s an all-time Ram from this point on. Whether he played another snap or not for the Rams or wherever he goes on to have success for however many years, he wants to continue to do it.”
Could Kupp stay with the Rams this season?
Although a month ago it was announced that the decision had been made to seek a trade for Cooper Kupp during this offseason, and even the player bid farewell to all the fans, the coach still holds out hope that this decision could be revisited.
According to Gary Klein’s announcement via his official X (formerly Twitter) account @LATimesklein, McVay hasn’t closed the door on a potential return for the wide receiver this season.
“McVay, when asked if door was completely closed on Kupp returning if no trade partner was found: ‘I would never speak in absolutes.'”
McVay’s confidence in retaining Stafford
Another of the offseason storylines was the potential departure of Matthew Stafford to another franchise. When asked about the situation, coach McVay stated that he never felt the former Lions quarterback would leave the Rams this season.
“No,” Rams HC answered about potentially losing Stafford this season. “That was never something that I ever thought would occur. There was always going to have to be a decision on our part … if he wasn’t going to be here. And that was never something that felt like ever got close, and it was never something that I allowed my mind to go to.”
