Cooper Kupp: From Eastern Washington Eagle to NFL Star
Cooper Douglas Kupp, born in Yakima, Washington, has carved a remarkable path from a relatively unheralded high school player to a Super Bowl MVP in the NFL. His journey is a testament to hard work, dedication, and exceptional talent. This article explores Kupp's formative years, his record-breaking college career at Eastern Washington University, and his ascent to NFL stardom.
Early Life and High School Career
Born in 1993, Cooper Kupp's roots in football run deep. Both his father and grandfather played in the NFL. Kupp attended Davis High School in his hometown of Yakima. A two-sport athlete, he excelled in both football and basketball. On the gridiron, he played both wide receiver and defensive back, earning All-State honors on both sides of the ball as a senior. As a senior, Kupp was a unanimous first-team All-Columbia Basin Big Nine League wide receiver and defensive back at Davis. He finished his senior season with 60 receptions for 1,059 yards (17.7 per catch) and 18 touchdowns and scored 22 total touchdowns to set a school record. Despite his high school achievements, Kupp wasn't heavily recruited, highlighting the importance of development and opportunity in his later success. In basketball, Kupp won the State 4A Tournament championship during his senior year.
Collegiate Dominance at Eastern Washington University
Kupp signed to play for coach Beau Baldwin's Eastern Washington Eagles football team in 2012 and redshirted that year. After a redshirt year, Kupp exploded onto the college scene at Eastern Washington University. From 2013 to 2016, he established himself as one of the most dominant wide receivers in the history of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
A Cascade of Records
Kupp's college career was marked by an unprecedented accumulation of records. He established 15 FCS, 11 Big Sky Conference, and 26 EWU records during his 52-game career, starting every contest. He also set a collegiate all-division mark. By the time he left Eastern Washington, Kupp held the FCS records for career receiving yards (6,464), receptions (428), and touchdown catches (73). Kupp surpassed the NAIA record of 6,177 by Chris George of Glenville State from 1991-94 after surpassing NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III records earlier in the 2016 season. His 6,464 yards, 428 receptions, 73 touchdown catches, 124.3 average yards per game and 1.40 average TDs per game were all FCS records. Kupp averaged a TD reception for every 5.9 catches in his career. He scored at least once in 43 of 52 games he played, and caught at least two passes in all 52 games he played. He had 30 performances of at least eight catches (16 with 10 or more) and a FCS record of 31 with at least 100 receiving yards. Kupp had the first rushing touchdown of his career and a punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter versus Idaho State (11/12/16), setting the stage in the fourth period for him to break the FCS record of 395 set by Elon's Terrell Hudgins from 2006-09. He tied and broke the record in the 48-31 win over ISU on short catches of 8 and 3 yards from backup quarterback Jordan West, also an Eagle senior. Eastern head coach Beau Baldwin promptly called timeout and presented the reigning Payton Award and FCS Offensive Player of the Year the record-breaking ball. Kupp had previously exceeded the FBS record of 387 held by Justin Hardy of East Carolina from 2011-14, making him the all-time NCAA Division I leader for receptions, in addition to yardage and TDs. Kupp broke a FCS all-time mark versus Montana (10/29/16) when he caught a pass in his 46th-straight game, and extended it to 52. Kupp and teammate Kendrick Bourne combined for FCS records for combined career catches (639) and combined career yards (9,594). His other six FCS records were set during his freshman season. Kupp broke the school record for career all-purpose yards at Montana State (10/22/16) - he finished with 7,038 to break the previous record of 5,934 set by Eric Kimble from 2002-05. He ranks second in Big Sky history, and the only player ahead of him is Charles Roberts (Sacramento State, 1997-00) with a record total of 7,112. With a 12-catch, 274-yard performance against UC Davis on Oct. 1, Kupp broke the FCS record for career receiving yards. Kupp’s 274 yards in that game were one away from the school record he had in his junior season against Northern Colorado. His final total of 6,464 career yards broke the record of 5,250 set by Elon's Terrell Hudgins from 2006-09. Kupp previously exceeded the FBS record for reception yards, which was 5,005 set by Trevor Insley of Nevada from 1996-99 before being broken by Corey Davis from Western Michigan with 5,278 from 2013-16. Kupp also surpassed the records in NCAA Division II (4,983, Clarence Coleman, Ferris State, 1998-01) and Division III (6,108, Scott Pingel, Westminster, 1996-99), as well as the NAIA record (6,177, Chris George, Glenville State, 1991-94). Kupp broke the FCS record for career TD catches with a three touchdown day at Washington State on Sept. 3, breaking the previous FCS record of 58 set by New Hampshire’s David Ball from 2003-06. Closing with 73 in his career, Kupp equaled and then exceeded the FBS record as well against North Dakota State (9/10/16). He had his 60th early in the second quarter to tie the mark of 60 set by Jarett Dillard of Rice from 2005-08, then had his 61st later in the quarter. Kupp finished behind the NCAA Division II record of 78 set by Dallas Mall of Bentley from 2001-04 and the NCAA Division III record is 75 set by Scott Pingel of Westminster (Mo.) from 1996-99, but Kupp has also exceeded the NAIA record of 59 set by Alvin Ashley of Southwest State (Minn.) from 1990-93. The senior piled up Big Sky Conference and school records with 77 touchdowns in his career, good for a record total of 464 points. Both marks also rank fourth all-time in FCS history behind a trio of running backs. The previous league records were 61 TDs (Charles Dunn, Portland State, 1997-00 and Sherriden May, Idaho, 1991-94) and 413 points (Dan Carpenter, Montana, 2004-07). Of his 77 touchdowns, Kupp scored 73 via receiving, three on punt returns (school record) and one via rushing. He also passed for four scores, thus accounting for 81 in his career. In all, his yardage in receptions, returns and passing totaled 7,218 yards (138.8 per game). On single season lists, Kupp finished his career with the 1-2-3-5 season marks in receptions, 2-3-4-6 in yards and 1-2-5-7 in TD catches. From his freshman to senior seasons, he had season yardage totals of 1,691, 1,431, 1,642 and 1,700; catch totals of 93, 104, 114, 117; and receiving touchdown performances of 21, 16, 19, 17.
Accolades and Recognition
Kupp's outstanding performance earned him numerous accolades. He was a consensus FCS All-American for four straight seasons (2013-2016). In 2016, Kupp became the first wide receiver and just the fourth player overall in the 54-year history of the Big Sky Conference to earn first team All-Big Sky honors four seasons. In 2015, Kupp became only the second wide receiver in 42 years to capture the Big Sky Conference Offensive MVP Award, then became one of only 10 repeat winners in league history in 2016. He and quarterback Gage Gubrud shared the 2016 honor, becoming the first teammates in the history of the league to be honored as co-MVPs. Kupp was also a two-time team co-captain, was honored four times on the Big Sky Conference All-Academic team and was twice selected as an Academic All-Star by the FCS Athletic Director’s Association. Kupp was selected by the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Athletic Director’s Association as a repeat selection for its FCS Offensive Player of the Year Award announced Jan. 5, 2017. In addition, a year after winning the award, Kupp finished second in the voting for the Walter Payton Award, presented by STATS to the top offensive player in FCS. He also received the President’s Award by the Columbus Touchdown Club. He earned first team All-America honors on all eight teams announced to become a consensus All-American for the fourth-straight season. His All-America honors included recognition as the FCS Athletic Director’s Association Wide Receiver of the Year. He was also honored for the fourth-straight year on teams selected by the American Football Coaches Association, STATS and Associated Press, and for the third time by the Walter Camp Football Foundation (2013-2015-2016). In addition, he was honored in 2016 by College Sports Madness, Hero Sports and Athlon Sports. Gubrud and Kupp were honored on Nov. 22 as the Big Sky Conference co-Offensive MVPs, the first time in league history two players from the same team were selected by the coaches to share the award. Both were unanimous selections as first team selections in the league, with Kupp also becoming just the fourth player in league history to earn first team all-league all four seasons. In addition, he earned second team All-Big Sky honors as a return specialist. An economics graduate with a 3.63 grade point average, Kupp earned Academic All-America honors for the third-straight season in 2016, earning first team honors as both a junior and senior. Kupp earned second team Academic All-America honors as a sophomore. Kupp was also recognized for the second-straight season on the 19th Annual Academic All-Star Team as selected by the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Athletic Directors Association. He was one of 44 winners announced among a group of 126 total nominees. He was also named the recipient of the 2013 Jerry Rice Award, given to the top freshman player in the FCS. On January 9, 2014, Kupp was honored by the College Football Performance Awards with the 2013 FCS Wide Receiver Award.
Read also: Best Hair Salons near Rice University
Success Against Pac-12 Competition
Eastern Washington had some success against Pac-12 Conference opponents during Kupp's tenure. Eastern was 2-2 versus the Pac-12 Conference in Kupp’s four seasons at Eastern, piling up 11 touchdowns receiving on a total of 40 catches for 716 yards. That’s an average of 17.9 yards per catch and a TD every 3.6 grabs against the four Pac-12 schools in the Pacific Northwest - Washington State, Washington, Oregon and Oregon State. In his first game since deciding to return to Eastern for his senior football season, Kupp helped EWU beat Washington State (9/3/16) 45-42. He had 12 catches for 206 yards and three touchdowns, as the three-time All-America receiver broke the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision record, finishing the game with 59. He also completed a pass for 22 yards against the Cougars, and rushed twice for 29 yards. As a junior, Kupp set Autzen Stadium records of 15 catches for 246 yards against Oregon, including three TD grabs. The year before that he caught eight passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns against Washington. As a redshirt freshman in 2013, in his first collegiate game, Kupp caught five passes for 119 yards and two scores against OSU.
Rivalry with Montana
His numbers in his career versus rival Montana were eye-popping, but the numbers that meant the most to Kupp were 5-1 and 10-1. Those are the win-loss records for Eastern over Montana and collectively against UM and Montana State since he arrived on campus in 2012. In five games he played versus the Montana Grizzlies, Kupp had 50 touches against the Griz, resulting in an average of 16.8 yards, eight touchdowns and one 54-yard play down to the Montana 2-yard line. He had career totals of 45 catches for 660 yards and six touchdowns in five games against the Griz, as well as a punt return for a TD and a passing score. He was 2-of-2 passing versus Montana, including a 54-yard pass to quarterback Gage Gubrud that set-up a score in the 2016 meeting and a 21-yard touchdown pass to Kendrick Bourne in 2015.
Team Success
Kupp led EWU to 41 victories overall in four seasons, including a 28-4 record in the Big Sky Conference. Eastern won two outright Big Sky Conference championships, a co-title his senior season, had two unbeaten league seasons and helped EWU advance to the NCAA Football Championship Playoff berths as a freshman, sophomore and senior. Twice Eastern advanced to the semifinals and once to the quarterfinal round.
Transition to the NFL
Kupp attended the 2017 Senior Bowl and made two receptions for 14 yards for the North, who lost 16-15 to the South. Kupp's performance at the Senior Bowl elevated his draft stock. On March 28, 2017, Kupp opted to participate in Eastern Washington's pro day along with Jordan West, Shaq Hill, Samson Ebukam, Kendrick Bourne, and Miquiyah Zamora. He attempted all of the combine drills but opted to skip the bench press and broad jump. Kupp shortened his time in the short shuttle to 6.53s and performed positional drills for scouts and team representatives. Kupp was projected to be a second or third-round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts and was ranked the eighth-best wide receiver in the draft by NFLDraftScout.com.
Draft and Early Career with the Rams
The Los Angeles Rams selected Kupp in the third round of the NFL Draft. Through the first seven games of the season, Kupp led the Rams in red-zone targets with 11 and developed as Goff's top receiver in the red zone and third downs. Kupp was named a starting wide receiver in 2018 alongside Robert Woods and offseason acquisition Brandin Cooks. During a Week 4 38-31 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, Kupp caught nine passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns (all single-game highs), including a career-best 70-yard scoring reception. In the next game against the Denver Broncos, he sustained a knee injury and was carted off the field. Kupp returned from his injury in time for the Rams' season opener against the Carolina Panthers. Kupp finished the 2019 season with 94 receptions for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games and 14 starts. He led the team in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Kupp finished the 2020 season with 92 receptions for 974 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games and 12 starts.
Read also: US Education System Performance
Historic 2021 Season
Kupp's performance throughout the 2021 season was one of the greatest statistical receiving seasons in NFL history. With the addition of Matthew Stafford in the offseason, Kupp started the season on a high note. Over the season's first three games, Kupp totaled 25 receptions for 367 yards and five touchdowns in victories for the Rams. In the Rams' 12-5 season, Kupp set numerous franchise single-season receiving records, which resulted in Pro Bowl and First-team All-Pro honors. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for both September and October. Kupp's 145 receptions for 1,947 yards were both franchise records, and his 16 touchdowns finished second to Elroy Hirsch's 17 in 1951. For the 2021 season, Kupp earned the receiving triple crown, becoming the first player since Steve Smith Sr.
Super Bowl MVP
In Super Bowl LVI, against the Bengals, Kupp scored his first career Super Bowl touchdown, an 11-yard reception. Kupp was named the MVP of Super Bowl LVI.
Later Career
On June 9, 2022, Kupp signed a three-year, $80.1 million contract extension to remain with the Rams through 2026. On September 9, 2023, Kupp was placed on injured reserve to begin the season due to a lingering hamstring injury. He was activated off injured reserve on October 7, ahead of the Rams' Week 5 game against the Eagles. In his return against the Eagles, he had eight receptions for 118 yards in the loss. In the following game, a victory over the Cardinals, he had seven receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown. In Week 14, in a close loss to the Ravens, he had eight receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown. In Week 15, a victory over the Commanders, he had eight receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. In the 2023 season, he started in the 12 regular season games he appeared in. Kupp opened the season against the Detroit Lions with 14 receptions, tying his career high, along with 110 yards and a touchdown as the Rams lost in overtime. In Week 2 against the Cardinals, Kupp sustained an ankle injury during the second quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. After being held out for four weeks, Kupp returned in Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings and caught five passes for 51 yards and a touchdown in the Rams' 30-20 victory. A week later, Kupp caught 11 passes for 104 yards in the Rams' 26-20 overtime victory at Seattle. He also surpassed 600 receptions and moved into third place on the Rams franchise's all-time receptions list behind Isaac Bruce (942) and Torry Holt (869).
Move to the Seahawks
On March 14, 2025, Kupp agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Quickly establishing himself in the starting lineup, Kupp played in 16 games during the regular season, starting 15, and caught 47 passes for 593 yards and two touchdowns. In Week 2, Kupp had season highs in catches (seven) and yardage (90) in the Seahawks' 31-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kupp caught at least one pass in every game as he helped Seattle win the NFC West title for the first time since 2020. In the NFC Divisional playoff, Kupp led the Seahawks with five receptions for 60 yards in Seattle's 41-6 rout of the San Francisco 49ers. In the NFC Championship Game, Kupp caught four passes for 36 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown in the third quarter that ultimately provided the winning margin in Seattle's 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams, gaining Kupp a measure of "revenge" against his former team. Kupp won his second Super Bowl championship when the Seahawks defeated the Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX.
Read also: Waterville's Colby College
