The Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks face off on Sunday afternoon in what has become a massive game for the NFC West standings. The Week 11 bout was always going to have intrigue — a divisional battle and the return of former Rams star wide receiver Cooper Kupp — but now is truly must-see TV.
Kupp’s return to the Rams will still be a major headline, though. Kupp, 32, was selected by the Rams in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft and spent the first eight years of his career in L.A. He was a massive figure for the Rams organization in that time, being a part of two teams that went to the Super Bowl.
His 2021 season will forever live in the history books. In Matthew Stafford’s first year in Los Angeles, Kupp caught an NFL-best 145 passes for an NFL-best 1,947 yards and an NFL-best 16 receiving touchdowns. He continued that run in the playoffs, and caught eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns in Super Bowl LVI, which the Rams won and he was named MVP.
Eventually, his jersey could be retired by the Rams. But on Sunday, he’ll play against first former team back at SoFi Stadium for the first time as a member of the Seahawks. He was cut by L.A. in the offseason and signed a deal with his hometown Seahawks. And for the wideout, his return will be a balance between his emotions and reality, via Sarah Barshop and Brady Henderson of ESPN:
“It will be different seeing those guys, saying hi to the guys and whatnot before the game, but I think it’s a balance of embracing the fact that it is the reality, but it is going to be another football game,” Kupp said this week. “… When the ball is snapped, go out there and you’re playing the same game you’ve been playing this whole year and you’ve got to handle business that same way.”
Kupp admitted that there are still some lingering feelings about the way things ended in L.A., but that his love for the Rams — and head coach Sean McVay — will never fade:
“But it’s tough,” Kupp said. “When everything went down, it’s a challenge to separate the personal and the business side of things. But we’ve been able to talk privately about stuff … and I’m always going to love Sean. I have so much appreciation for him. It’s challenging but it’s been good.”
While the Rams were not excited to part ways with Kupp, they had little choice financially. Kupp was making more than his recent production called for, and was limiting the Rams in their pursuit of a championship contending team. They replaced Kupp with the stellar Davante Adams, while Kupp has found great success as a part of the Seahawks’ surprising 2025 season.
Kupp will surely be welcomed back by fans with open arms. But when the game starts, it becomes an important divisional battle with playoff seeding at stake once again.
Davante Adams expected to play for Rams on Sunday
The Rams defeated the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, but it came at a cost as Davante Adams exited the game in the second half with what was initially deemed a back injury.
It was later clarified that Adams injured his side/oblique. He was listed as questionable to return but ultimately didn’t play again after being removed.
Adams still finished with a team-high six receptions for 77 yards and one touchdown in the Rams’ 42-26 win over the 49ers. He has been a big part of the team’s success this season and they would hate to lose him for an extended period of time.
Fortunately for the Rams, McVay revealed that Adams is expected to suit up for a huge matchup against the Seahawks in Week 11.
