From Super Bowl speech to run blocking, how Cooper Kupp helped reshape Seahawks
Frisman Jackson didn’t waste any time when the Seattle Seahawks signed Cooper Kupp in last spring. The Seahawks receivers coach knew what Kupp represented. He was formerly one of the most productive receivers in NFL history — a Super Bowl MVP after winning the statistical triple crown in 2021 — who had just been cut by the Los Angeles Rams after three straight sub-1,000 yard seasons.
Kupp’s perspective, Jackson thought, would be invaluable toward helping his group elevate the Seahawks to make a run to the Super Bowl. The receiving corps was at an inflection point after trading D.K. Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers and releasing Tyler Lockett days before signing Kupp. All while the team was pivoting at quarterback away from Geno Smith toward Sam Darnold.
So Jackson tapped Kupp to get up in front of the meeting room and offer his perspective to his fellow receivers.
“I had him talk in the front of the group and say, ‘talk to us about your experience the year ya’ll went to the Super Bowl,’” Jackson said. “We’ve been on this mission since before we came for phase one (of the offseason program) when I had him stand in front of the room and talk about what it means to play in the Super Bowl.”
Kupp’s words wound up being helpful and prophetic. The Seahawks are in the Bay Area preparing for Super Bowl LX and are 4.5-point favorites over the New England Patriots to lift the organization’s second Lombardi Trophy. They got there on the back of arguably the NFL’s best defense, but there’s little chance they would have earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC and beat the 49ers and Rams in the playoffs without the play of their receivers complementing Darnold’s ascension in his first season with Seattle.
“It’s about playing for each other,” Kupp said. “I think one of the things that I’ve noticed that the best teams I’ve been a part of, guys play for the guy next to them. It’s a cliché thing, but it’s the hardest thing to do when you get to the NFL because there’s so much at stake. And it’s hard for people with their own ambitions, their own families and all this different stuff that’s going on, to commit to the belief that truly the best thing for them and the best thing for our team is that the team succeeds.
“The most powerful thing you can do is have a group of guys that are playing for something outside of themselves and we’ve had a lot of guys embody that this year.”
The Seahawks haven’t been to a Super Bowl since winning it after the 2013 season. Only four players on the roster have Super Bowl experience. One is Kupp, who caught eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns in the 23-20 win over the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. Two others were his teammates with the Rams: Ernest Jones IV and running back Cam Akers. Darnold served as Brock Purdy’s backup with the 49ers during the loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
The Seahawks have leaned on Kupp’s experience in their preparation for Sunday against the New England Patriots.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Coop. What he’s meant to our offense, not only our offense but our team. The mindset that he has,” Darnold said. “The way he leads by example. If he does say things, he’s one of those guys where the entire room is dead silent. And they’re super focused on what he’s saying because we know that he doesn’t waste his breath. He’s always going to be able to say something very mindful. For us, speaking for the players, but also the coaches, he’s had a huge impact on all of us in that building. Really fun playing for Coop and what he’s brought to all of us.”
Kupp’s attention to detail
Kupp has been a tone setter for his fellow receivers and pushed to raise the standard for players and coaches, Jackson said.
“He challenges you as a coach from a schematic standpoint. He’s going to ask questions and you better know the answers to them,” Jackson said. “You can’t bull crap him.”
Jackson said Kupp specifically elevated the conversation about receivers’ blocking in the running game. It stems from Kupp playing for Rams coach Sean McVay, who like Kubiak and other coaches from the Kyle Shanahan tree, emphasizes receivers blocking when they’re not catching passes.
And while trying to take the onus off Darnold and playing to their defense, the Seahawks had the third most rushing attempts in the NFL during the season.
“Before I had Coop, when I talked about the run game, it was very limited, because most wideouts say, ‘give me my rule, who I’m supposed to block, and that’s the end of it,’” Jackson said. “With Coop, I’ve really had to be locked in. He’s going to ask me, what’s the Mike point, what’s the call that the O-line is going to and how it affects his block. And so he’s really challenged me in that regard and really changed my coaching style and philosophy and how I teach the run game to the guys.”
Kupp’s different role with his new team
Kupp’s production isn’t at the same level as his previous Super Bowl season. In 2025, he had modest totals of 47 catches for 593 yards, the second fewest of his career, with just two touchdowns. It was a far cry from the 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns when he posted one of the great seasons in NFL history in 2021, which he capped by earning Super Bowl MVP for catching a pair of touchdowns in the victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
The 32-year-old caught a touchdown against his former team in this year’s NFC championship game, with three of his four catches converting third downs in the 31-27 victory. He finished with 36 yards.
But what Kupp lacked in numbers throughout the season, he made up for in leadership and providing a good example for his teammates, which began with his speech in March.
Kupp has helped Jaxon Smith-Njigba grow into one of the game’s most productive receivers. Kupp said Wednesday there were similarities to their games, with Smith-Njigba initially being thought of as a slot receiver before being moved all over the field in 2025. Smith-Njigba had a Kupp-like 1,793 yards to lead the NFL this season.
Asked what advice Kupp gave Smith-Njigba that has stuck with him most: “Process over results,” Smith-Njigba said.
Seattle’s brass moved on from Metcalf and Lockett to allow Smith-Njigba to have a runway to more targets. And Kupp was added because he played in a similar scheme in L.A. that Seattle would run under first-year coordinator Klint Kubiak, who is expected to be named the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders after Sunday’s Super Bowl.
Kupp had no problem not being Seattle’s top target.
“You got guys who make be locker room lawyers — they might go in a corner somewhere and complain about things. That’s not Coop,” Jackson said. “He’s been fantastic. I could talk hours and hours about the professional that he is, how he goes about his business and how selfless he is.”
This story was originally published February 4, 2026 at 4:40 PM with the headline "From Super Bowl speech to run blocking, how Cooper Kupp helped reshape Seahawks."
