Tag: Cooper Kupp

Cooper Kupp quietly broke an NFL record Sunday that Sean McVay didn’t even know about

No player in the NFL has more catches in his first 100 games than Cooper Kupp – a record Sean McVay didn’t even know his receiver broke Sunday

Cooper Kupp is as modest as they come at wide receiver. He doesn’t do flashy touchdown celebrations or talk trash on the field, and he sure doesn’t make a big deal about his own personal accomplishments.

In Sunday’s win against the Saints, he quietly broke a pretty impressive NFL record, even in a game where he had just three catches for 17 yards.

With those three receptions, Kupp now has 625 in his career. That’s the most by any player in his first 100 games in league history. Kupp now stands above everyone else, edging out Keenan Allen by one reception for the top spot. Antonio Brown (622) and Julio Jones (619) sit in third and fourth place.

The record flew so far under the radar that not even Sean McVay knew Kupp took the top spot. During his postgame press conference, McVay was made aware of Kupp etching his name in the record books (again) and he jokingly called out Rams VP of communications Artis Twyman for not telling him about that feat.

“What the hell, Artis? Why wouldn’t you tell me that? Another time that I ended up not recognizing Cooper Kupp,” McVay joked.

He then looked into the camera at his press conference and congratulated Kupp on his accomplishment. McVay mistakenly didn’t give Kupp a game ball in the locker room because he didn’t know about his accomplishment, but he’ll be sure to give him one on Monday.

“Congratulations, Cooper. You’ll get a game ball tomorrow, buddy,” he said.

McVay then got serious about the impact Kupp has had on the team as a player and leader over his first 100 games.

“That’s cool. … He’s a special player, he’s a more special person. His work ethic, everything he’s about, is the right kind of stuff and really happy for him,” McVay said.

Rams announce nominee for 2024 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

Cooper Kupp has been nominated for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award for the 2nd time in 3 years

Each year, every team in the NFL nominates one player for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, which is given to the person who “exemplify outstanding sportsmanship.”

Just as they did in 2022, the Los Angeles Rams have nominated Cooper Kupp for the award, the second time in three years that he’s been selected by the team. Kupp, the ultimate teammate and competitor, is the perfect example of sportsmanship on the field, which is why the Rams have nominated him twice already.

Former Rams punter Johnny Hekker and safety Rodney McLeod were also nominated by their respective teams, so they’re among the 31 other nominees alongside Kupp.

Last year, the Rams nominated Jordan Fuller, who was also their nominee in 2021. Todd Gurley and Eric Weddle are also former nominees for the Rams, though none of them have won it.

Below is the full list of nominees for 2024.

Saquon Barkley runs the Rams out of SoFi Stadium, carrying the Eagles to their 7th straight win

A sea of Eagles fans took over SoFi Stadium, carrying Philadelphia to its 7th straight win on Sunday night as Saquon Barkley rushed for 255 yards on the night

The Eagles are 9-2 and have won seven straight games after Saquon Barkley exploded in the running game, and A.J. Brown was dominant in the passing game. Philadelphia put the league on notice with a 37-20 win at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

If not for a late Matthew Stafford touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp, Philadelphia would have exited Los Angeles with a 37-14 road win just seven days before a monster matchup with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13.

Barkley rushed for 255 yards on the night and had 302 total yards of offense in a game that saw A.J. Brown log 109 yards receiving and a touchdown on seven targets.

WATCH: Slay walks Quinyon Mitchell through routes Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua will run

Darius Slay walks Quinyon Mitchell through Cooper Kupp, and Puka Nacau’s route tree ahead of Eagles vs. Rams

Darius Slay is the gift that keeps on giving.

As the All-Pro veteran enters what could be his final stretch of games in Philadelphia, the cornerback has poured all his knowledge and skills into Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell.

As he did ahead of the Thursday night matchup against Washington, Slay walked Mitchell through some of the routes he’ll see on Sunday night against the Rams star duo of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.

The Eagles started the season out 2-2. Still, the lights went on defensively when Cooper DeJean entered the starting lineup following a training camp and preseason that saw the rookie out of Iowa miss time with a soft tissue injury.

Mitchell has been lights out from Day 1, and both players have made Philadelphia’s veteran and captain, Darius Slay, very happy. Talking to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia after practice on Friday, Slay jokingly referred to the young duo as “his children,” praising both players.

Mitchell is the only NFL cornerback with 375+ coverage snaps and 0 passing touchdowns allowed this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Mitchell, who has limited opponents to a 51.1% completion percentage and 71.4 passer rating, also ranks 2nd among NFL CBs with a 23.4% forced incompletion percentage, behind Denzel Ward (31.3%) (min. 30 targets). Overall, the rookie ranks 3rd among NFL CBs with 11 forced incompletions, trailing only Ward (15) and Paulson Adebo (12).

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A.J. Brown explains why he’ll be watching Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua when Eagles are on defense

A.J. Brown explains why he’ll be watching Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua when Eagles are on defense

A.J. Brown is one of the top five wide receivers in the NFL, but he’s always working to improve, and he’s not afraid to borrow a specific release or adjust his routes based on what he sees from his peers at the position. Philadelphia will face an explosive Rams offense featuring their star wide receiver duo Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.

Last week, Kupp and Nacua combined for 229 receiving yards and three touchdowns against the Patriots, a reminder of their dominance when healthy. Injuries have limited Kupp and Nacua this season, but since each of their returns in Week 8, they’re on par as one of the most potent one-two punches in the game.

Since returning from injury, Kupp has 29 catches for 341 yards and three scores, going over 100 yards in two of the four games. Nacua has been even better, catching 24 passes for 338 yards and a touchdown.

Like the Bengals game with Ja’Marr Chase, Brown said he’ll be standing on the sideline to watch Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua when the Eagles are on defense.

“There’s something I can learn. If I see something I like, I may do it in the game.”

Brown ranks 1st in the NFL among players with 30+ receptions and an 18.7 receiving average. Brown (team-leading 618 receiving yards) also ranks 4th overall in receiving yards per game (88.3) behind Nico Collins (103.5), Ja’Marr Chase (96.0), and Justin Jefferson (91.2).

Brown and DeVonta Smith are one of two NFL WR duos with multiple 40+ yard touchdowns, joining New Orleans (Shaheed and Valdes-Scantling).

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Cooper Kupp’s 69-yard TD was another perfect example of his chemistry with Matthew Stafford

Cooper Kupp adjusted his route mid-play on his 69-yard touchdown and as usual, he and Matthew Stafford were on the same page

There’s a reason Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp are one of the best quarterback-receiver tandems in the NFL and their 69-yard touchdown on Sunday was yet another example to support that claim.

It’s not that Kupp is the fastest receiver in the NFL or that Stafford is the most accurate. They’ve had so much success in the last three-plus years because they’re always on the same page – whether it’s pre-snap or mid-play.

That was the case on their long touchdown against the Patriots. When Kupp saw that the Patriots were running Cover 0, he adjusted his seam route to break inside more, giving his quarterback a clearer throwing lane knowing the ball had to come out quickly.

Kupp explained what happened on the play, telling reporters how important it is to be on the same page as his quarterback.

“They had Jones off and outside about 8 yards and Dugger inside and I thought they were going to get some kind of 220 Tampa safety look and be able to drop out of there with how far off he was,” Kupp explained postgame. “And on the snap, Dugger just disappeared and what I thought was going to be a Tampa 2 ended up being a soft zero and it just goes back to a really old rules we used to have about running seam routes against zero and speeding that thing up and ripping in there and Matthew was just ready to go. It’s not something we’ve talked about in a while but being on the same page with him, it’s huge when you can do those and you can make those plays where you have small margins. Matthew’s getting hit and letting that ball go, trusting I’m going to be where I’m supposed to be, so glad we were able to make that one come alive.”

Stafford echoed Kupp’s thoughts after the game, as well, saying he saw exactly what his receiver did post-snap, which worked to perfection.

“I just hadn’t had a lot of opportunities to run that kind of a play against a zero pressure,” he said. “I’m just glad he was on the same page I was on and did a nice job at the top.”

Sean McVay has watched Stafford and Kupp work together for years and he probably never gets tired of seeing them make plays like the 69-yarder on Sunday. He confirmed Kupp made the right play to shallow off his route a little bit at the top and Stafford hit him in stride for an easy touchdown.

“He read it right,” McVay said. “That was the adjustment you want with that specific route and that coverage contour. He and Matthew were on the same page. It was a 69-yard touchdown. We like those plays.”

Watch: Cooper Kupp strolls into end zone after catching dart from Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp beat the Patriots’ cover 0 for an easy walk-in touchdown

If you try Matthew Stafford with a cover 0 blitz, you better get to him because he’ll make you pay.

The New England Patriots learned that the hard way on Sunday when they tried it in the third quarter. The result? A 69-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Cooper Kupp, who could’ve crawled into the end zone. That’s how far away the nearest defender was.

Kupp beat his man and after making the catch, there was no one back there to wrap him up. It wasn’t the easiest touchdown Kupp has ever scored, but with it being pure one-on-one coverage, it wasn’t a huge challenge, either.

This was Kupp’s second touchdown of the game, with the first being a short 5-yarder to get the Rams on the board in the second quarter.

Watch: Cameras catch Cooper Kupp’s postgame chat with Jalen Ramsey

Cameras caught a cool moment between Cooper Kupp and Jalen Ramsey after Rams-Dolphins on Monday night

Cooper Kupp and Jalen Ramsey were teammates for three and a half seasons in Los Angeles, winning a Super Bowl together as members of the Rams. Monday night was Ramsey’s first game against his former team, returning to the place where he won a ring with Kupp less than three years ago.

It was Ramsey’s Dolphins who came away with the 23-15 win over the Rams and after the game, the two All-Pros caught up on the field. Kupp and Ramsey shared a cool moment, which was caught by cameras and posted by the Rams on social media.

Ramsey thanked Kupp for sending him some of his Dodo Coffee Co. coffee and wished him well the rest of the way.

“What’s up, brother? How you doing? Thank you for the coffee, my shorty loves it,” Ramsey said.

Kupp told Ramsey that he’s “playing great ball” and wished him “a great rest of the year.”

Look: Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. link up before Monday Night Football

Odell Beckham Jr. is facing the Rams for the first time since winning the Super Bowl in LA and he linked up with Cooper Kupp before kickoff

It’s been almost three years since the Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl and for the first time, Odell Beckham Jr. will face the team he hoisted the Lombardi Trophy with. Now a member of the Miami Dolphins, Beckham is set to play against the Rams on Monday Night Football.

Before kickoff, he linked up with Cooper Kupp on the field at SoFi Stadium, reuniting with the Rams’ star receiver. The Rams shared a video of the two wideouts, and even though no audio was captured, it was a cool moment between a couple of Super Bowl champions.

Beckham, of course, tore his ACL in his last game with the Rams, which caused him to sit out the 2022 season. He signed with the Ravens in 2023 before joining the Dolphins this offseason.

In four games this year, he has three catches for 15 yards.

Jalen Ramsey says Cooper Kupp is still ‘easily’ a top-5 WR

Jalen Ramsey had high praise for Cooper Kupp ahead of tonight’s matchup, leaving no doubt about where he ranks among the NFL’s top WRs

Jalen Ramsey and Cooper Kupp were teammates in Los Angeles for three and a half years, helping the Rams win Super Bowl LVI in 2021. Being on the same team for as long as they were, Ramsey and Kupp saw each other a lot on the practice field.

Ramsey always had a ton of respect for Kupp’s game and regularly praised the Rams wide receiver, and that admiration hasn’t waned now that they’re no longer on the same team. Ramsey still views Kupp as one of the best wideouts in football, putting him in the top five at his position leading up to Monday night’s game between the Rams and Dolphins.

“They were great,” Ramsey said, via the Palm Beach Post. “I’ve got a ton of respect for Coop. I easily think he’s a top five receiver. He and Matthew (Stafford) have a chemistry, great connection. And yeah, it was it was truly iron sharpening iron. We worked. We made each other better.”

Ramsey may be in Miami now, but he still has a lot of love for Los Angeles and the Rams, saying the city of LA is “like a home to me.”

“I never got an opportunity to give like a farewell gift to, you know, all the people out there,” Ramsey said. “It’s like a home to me. It’s like a family. I’ve got some family from out there. My daughter was born out there. Great memories out there. Everlasting memories of community, always treated me and my family right, nothing but loved and respected. So, still got a lot of ties out there. Still go out there often. A lot of positive energy out there. Nothing, like, negative that I could say about my time there.”

Monday will be Ramsey’s first time back in Los Angeles to face his former team, which traded him to the Dolphins in 2023. That adds to the magnitude of this matchup between the Rams and Dolphins, which might be a must-win game for his 2-6 Miami team.

If there’s one receiver that’s likely to see Ramsey often in coverage, it’s Kupp. Both players primarily line up in the slot, as they did often in practice when they were teammates with the Rams.

Kupp recalled those battles in Los Angeles, appreciating the way they made each other better.

“All those ‘Mamba’ periods. There were a lot of times when he played that star role for us for a while and with me playing in the slot a lot of the time, we ended up being matched up on each other often,” Kupp said Friday. “It was always so competitive. The physicality and the urgency that he plays with, it makes you meet him there. You can’t hesitate at all. It was something I appreciated about the way that Jalen played the game.”

Ramsey’s first season in Miami didn’t go according to plan in 2023, struggling to get going in Vic Fangio’s defense. But in 2024, he’s the Dolphins’ highest-graded player on defense (83.4), tied with Calais Campbell, per PFF.

The Rams know how talented and impactful Ramsey can be in the secondary, so they’ll try to find ways to attack other defenders instead of going at the All-Pro corner. That’s not to say Kupp will shy away from that matchup, but there are better ways to exploit Miami’s defense.