Even though Cooper Kupp now plays for the rival Seattle Seahawks, he created a bond with Matthew Stafford during their time together on the Los Angeles Rams that will last a lifetime.
Kupp had a historic 2021 season after the Rams acquired Stafford, winning the receiving triple crown and eventually Super Bowl MVP. A big reason for that was the immediate chemistry he and Stafford built, getting to the practice facility early every day so they could watch film and get on the same page.
While Kupp’s departure from the Rams was bitter sweet for everyone involved, it certainly has not impacted his relationship with Stafford and a lot of his other former teammates.
That was evident after the Seahawks’ Week 16 win over the Rams on Thursday Night Football as Kupp sprinted all the way over to the Rams’ tunnel just so he can exchange some words with Stafford, via the NFL:
brothers for life 🤞 pic.twitter.com/1N2TbWnDAo
— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2025
Kupp has always been known for being respectful and having good sportsmanship, so seeing him do that doesn’t come as a surprise, especially considering how close he and Stafford are.
Stafford and the Rams won the first matchup against the Seahawks in L.A., but Kupp’s team returned the favor with an overtime victory in Week 16. Kupp had a huge catch in overtime to make up for fumbling earlier in the game and finished with three receptions for 39 yards.
With Seattle’s win, they now control their destiny for the NFC West crown and No. 1 seed, so the Rams will need some help in the coming weeks to avoid going on the road on Wild Card Weekend.
Regardless, it was a hard-fought battle between two of the best teams in the league and it will be interesting to see if there is a rubbermatch down the line in the postseason. If that is the case, Stafford and Kupp will put their friendship to the side for a few more hours as they are both ultra competitive between the lines.
Matthew Stafford & Rams confused by overturned two-point conversion
Part of the reason the Seahawks were able to come back and beat the Rams in Week 16 was because of an overturned two-point conversion. They deemed that a forward pass actually went backwards and the Seahawks eventually recovered it in the end zone, which is a rule Stafford doesn’t agree with.
“I just want to know that rule because I thought on plays like that – two-point plays, inside of 2 minutes and stuff – I didn’t think you were allowed to advance a fumble,” Stafford said. “Otherwise, I think everybody would, if you’re going down, just fumble it forward and let somebody else advance it. I obviously don’t know the rule well enough.”
