Cooper Kupp admits feeling mixed emotions ahead

RENTON, Wash. — Read and react. That isn’t just what Cooper Kupp does on the soccer subject, adjusting his go route to get open. It’s what he does in his free time, too, tearing through close to two dozen books during the NFL season.

The Seattle Seahawks receiver, once a star with the Rams, is an enthusiastic reader of both nonfiction and fiction, and buys further copies of some of his favorites — “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “When Breath Becomes Air” — to hand out to buddies.

Just as when he’s poring over the playbook, the bearded bookworm reads with pen in hand or prepared to notice one thing on his telephone.

“If I haven’t underlined anything in the first day or two, it’s hard to keep going,” said Kupp, 32, at present studying “Heart and Steel” by former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher. “I mark pages, highlight, screenshot.

“If I’m not learning something, a book better transport me.”

Kupp was transported last offseason, and not by his selecting. The Rams launched him to make room for receiver Davante Adams, parting methods with one of their most widespread gamers, an architect of rebuilding a fan base in Los Angeles, and Most Valuable Player of their Super Bowl win in the 2021 season.

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1. Rams vast receiver Cooper Kupp holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the staff’s Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 13, 2022. 2. Kupp and Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford have a good time after profitable Super Bowl LVI. 3. Kupp will get a hug from Rams defensive deal with Aaron Donald after the staff’s victory in Super Bowl LVI. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The reunion occurs Sunday when the 7-2 Rams play host to the 7-2 Seahawks in an NFC West showdown, Kupp’s first return to SoFi Stadium after spending the first eight seasons of his professional profession in Southern California.

“It’ll be mixed emotions,” Kupp told The Times after follow last week. “I have so much gratitude for the people there. But I’m going down there to play a game. I’ve spent countless hours preparing to beat that team.”

There was a time when Kupp was a point of interest of the Rams offense, but he finally receded a bit into the background as Puka Nacua started to ascend. By the end of his run there, Kupp was a seasoned elder statesman, still contributing but also serving to youthful gamers fine-tune their sport.

He has continued that function with the Seahawks, a comparatively younger staff. By all accounts, Kupp has performed a vital function in the development of third-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the first participant to attain 1,000 yards receiving this season.

Kupp is the staff’s second-leading receiver, with 26 catches for 367 yards and a landing. He’s had ups and downs, lacking a sport because of accidents to his hamstring and heel, throwing an interception on a failed flea-flicker, and tearing off a 67-yard gain in a catch and carry in last Sunday’s 44-22 thrashing of the Cardinals.

Seahawks vast receiver Cooper Kupp and quarterback Sam Darnold discuss before a sport against the Houston Texans on Oct. 20.

(Steph Chambers / Getty Images)

“[Kupp] is unbelievable, not just as a player but as a person,” Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold said. “He’s one of the best dudes I’ve ever been around. He’s in the quarterback room all the time, and I’m learning so much from him. Honestly, I’m learning way more from him than he is from me.”

This hasn’t been an straightforward transition for Kupp, even though he returned to his home state. He was raised in Yakima, Wash., a two-hour drive from Seattle, and performed collegiately at Eastern Washington. Anna and Cooper Kupp have three younger sons.

“This is where I grew up, my wife’s home, but it’s not where our home was,” Kupp said. “We built something cool in L.A., raised our boys there. That was home. We’ll always want to be in L.A. in some capacity. We’re making home here now, but it’s seven months versus 8½ years there.

“Our boys grew up in California, barefoot outside at breakfast. It’ll be a new adventure to see how they adapt to fall and winter here.”

Kupp is having fun with taking more of a management function with the Seahawks.

“Here, there are younger guys getting significant reps,” he said. “I can be more of a voice, sharing processes, things that have helped me. The coaches have been great. My goal is to be a multiplier, to lift people up, to get us all on the same page at a high level.”

Seahawks vast receiver Cooper Kupp spends a second with one of his sons before a sport against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 7.

(Amanda Loman / Getty Images)

In his later seasons with the Rams, he let his beard go wild. It spilled over and properly below his chinstrap. Now, he wears it neatly trimmed, but has embraced the Seattle look of untucked flannel shirts and denims.

Is he glad?

“Happy?” he said, pondering the phrase. “I love the challenge. I’m excited to come to work. But I don’t live asking, ‘Am I happy?’ We think about ourselves too much. When you stop living for yourself and start pouring into others — family, teammates, friends — you find more fulfillment.

“I want people excited when I walk into a room because they know I’ll be there for them.”

That’s a philosophy Craig and Karin Kupp emphasised with their 4 youngsters: you need to live in a room of home windows not mirrors.

“In the mirror room, you’re looking inward, only seeing yourself,” said Ketner Kupp, Cooper’s youthful brother and now defensive coordinator at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash.

“In the window room, you can’t really see yourself. You’re looking out, seeing others and being selfless. That’s how we try to live.”

Seahawks vast receiver Cooper Kupp warms up before a sport against the Houston Texans on Oct. 20.

(Steph Chambers / Getty Images)

Not surprisingly, Kupp’s mother and father and siblings love having him close by.

“It’s been super fun,” said Ketner, who drafted his brother in two different fantasy leagues. “I’ve never really rooted for one team before, even being from Washington, but this has been awesome. There’s so much energy around the Seahawks here, and it’s fun to be a part of that.”

His older brother, lover of books, has efficiently turned the web page.