The Los Angeles Rams punched their ticket to Super Bowl LVI for a matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals after coming from behind to defeat the San Francisco 49ers, 20-17, in the NFC Championship Game.
Cooper Kupp was instrumental in the victory as he hauled in 11 of his 14 targets for 142 yards and two touchdowns. It was another stellar performance in a season full of them after leading the league with 145 receptions, 1,947 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns.
Kupp is now looking forward to playing in his first Super Bowl after being unable to suit up in the Rams’ matchup against the New England Patriots three years ago due to a torn ACL.
Robert Woods finds himself in the same position this year after suffering a season-ending ACL injury in Week 9. Kupp, who knows what Woods is going through, shared an emotional moment with him after the Rams’ win over the 49ers, via NFL Films:
"I love you, family."
This moment between @CooperKupp and @RobertWoods is everything. 💙 @InsideTheNFL pic.twitter.com/CsSHFgZPip
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) January 31, 2022
In the promotional clip for “Inside the NFL,” Woods hugs Kupp and says the connection they share is “deeper than football.”
Kupp and Woods both joined the Rams in 2017 and have since become good friends. Kupp was a third-round draft pick that year while Woods signed with the team in free agency.
Prior to tearing his ACL this season, Woods caught 45 of his 69 targets for 556 yards and four touchdowns. Ever since going down with the injury, Odell Beckham Jr. has stepped into a bigger role and looks more like the player he was with the New York Giants.
Beckham recently praised the Rams for developing a good culture and presumably will be interested in signing a new contract with the team this offseason. If he does return and Woods makes a full recovery from his ACL injury, L.A. will be set at the wide receiver position for years to come, with Kupp and Van Jefferson also a big part of the group.
