Cooper Kupp’s tenure with the Los Angeles Rams seems to be coming to an end as he recently announced that the organization intends to trade him this offseason.
Kupp had a historic 2021 season with the team but has since dealt with injuries and his play has declined as a result.
There’s no denying the impact Kupp had on the Rams locker room, organization and community during his time with the team though and head coach Sean McVay expressed his gratitude for the wide receiver in an appearance on the “Fitz and Whit” podcast with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andrew Whitworth:
“I’m a better human, I’m a better coach, I’m a better person because of my relationship and the influence Cooper Kupp’s had on me. His legacy in my life and as a Ram is cemented forever. And we’ve had to have some honest conversations. And here’s the reality, too. I think you always preface it with, you have a responsibility to the collective and it doesn’t mean you’re right. I’ve been wrong before, I’ll be wrong again. Doesn’t change my love, my appreciation, my gratitude for everything that he’s meant.”
McVay also attempted to explain why the Rams are moving this direction and how tough of a decision it was:
“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. And 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. But you try to say it’s business, it’s personal. It all is intermixed. I don’t think you can separate it. I think you acknowledge that tough decisions have to be made.”
There may be some hard feelings on Kupp’s end right now and rightfully so, but McVay hopes that down the road he will get the appreciation he deserves:
“I love him. He knows that I love him. I couldn’t have more respect for him, even in terms of the way that he handles some of those difficult conversations. And that’s an inevitable part of it. And I do believe that even though this isn’t an ideal situation, I think there’s going to be a lot of gratitude that I think we both look back on for eight years that, man, what an incredible blessing he’s been. And I’ve always felt a real appreciation and gratitude from him, as well.”
McVay is right that Kupp is a Rams legend, which makes this decision tough even if it is the right one for the organization.
Rams hoping to get 4th round pick for Cooper Kupp
Cooper Kupp has two years remaining on an expensive contract, so the Rams are reportedly hoping they can get a fourth round pick back in a trade for the wide receiver.
