How Cooper Kupp’s Leadership Helped Fuel the Seahawks’ Super Bowl Run
SAN JOSE, Calif. - When the Seattle Seahawks signed Cooper Kupp last spring, they weren’t just adding a wide receiver - they were bringing in a former Super Bowl MVP, a statistical juggernaut, and a player whose football IQ is as sharp as his route-running. And while Kupp’s days of 1,900-yard seasons may be behind him, his impact on this Seahawks team has been undeniable.
Frisman Jackson, Seattle’s receivers coach, wasted no time tapping into that experience. With the receiving corps in transition - D.K.
Metcalf traded to Pittsburgh, Tyler Lockett released - and a quarterback change from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold, the Seahawks were at a crossroads. Jackson saw Kupp as the steadying force who could help guide the group through the storm.
So, early in the offseason, Jackson had Kupp address the team. Not just as a player, but as someone who’s been to the mountaintop.
“I had him talk in front of the group and say, ‘Tell us what it took to get to the Super Bowl,’” Jackson recalled. “That message stuck with us. From Phase One of the offseason, we’ve had that mission in mind.”
Now, that mission has brought Seattle to the doorstep of another Lombardi Trophy. The Seahawks are in the Bay Area preparing for Super Bowl LX, 4.5-point favorites over the New England Patriots, and while their top-ranked defense has led the charge, the contributions of the receiving corps - influenced heavily by Kupp - have been a critical piece of the puzzle.
Kupp’s Message: Play for the Man Next to You
For Kupp, it’s always been about more than just stats. He’s seen what separates good teams from great ones, and he’s lived the reality of what it takes to win it all.
“It’s about playing for each other,” Kupp said. “It’s a cliché, but it’s also the hardest thing to do in this league.
Everyone has their own ambitions, their families, their careers. But the best teams?
They’re the ones where guys buy into something bigger than themselves.”
That’s the culture Kupp has helped cultivate in Seattle this year - a team-first mentality that’s powered a group with very little Super Bowl experience. Only four players on the Seahawks’ roster have been to the big game before.
Kupp is one of them, having caught eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI win. Two of his former Rams teammates - linebacker Ernest Jones IV and running back Cam Akers - are also part of this Seattle squad.
Darnold, meanwhile, was Brock Purdy’s backup in San Francisco’s Super Bowl LVII loss.
But it’s Kupp’s voice that’s echoed loudest in Seattle’s preparation for Sunday.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Coop,” Darnold said. “What he’s meant to our offense, to our team - it’s huge.
He leads by example, and when he does speak, everyone listens. He doesn’t waste words.
He’s thoughtful, intentional, and always focused on what’s best for the team.”
Raising the Standard - On and Off the Field
Kupp’s leadership hasn’t just been about locker room speeches or sideline encouragement. He’s raised the bar in the film room, on the practice field, and in the meeting rooms - especially when it comes to the details that often go unnoticed.
“He challenges you as a coach,” Jackson said. “He’ll ask questions that force you to be sharp. You can’t fake it with him.”
One area where Kupp has made a particularly big impact? Run blocking. It’s not the most glamorous part of a receiver’s job, but it’s something Kupp has always taken seriously - a mindset forged during his time with Sean McVay and the Rams, where receivers were expected to be fully engaged in the run game.
Seattle leaned heavily on its ground attack this season, finishing with the third-most rushing attempts in the NFL. That made Kupp’s attention to detail in the run game all the more valuable.
“Before Coop, when I talked about the run game, it was pretty basic,” Jackson admitted. “Most receivers just want to know who to block and move on.
But Coop? He wants to know the Mike point, the O-line’s call, how it changes his angle.
He’s pushed me to be better, and he’s changed the way I coach blocking to the whole room.”
A New Role, Same Impact
Kupp’s numbers this season don’t jump off the page - 47 catches, 593 yards, two touchdowns. Statistically, it’s the second-lowest output of his career. But that doesn’t tell the full story.
In the NFC Championship Game against his former team, the Rams, Kupp made his presence felt with a touchdown and three key third-down conversions in a 31-27 win. He finished with four catches for 36 yards - not flashy, but clutch.
And his influence has been felt most in the development of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who exploded for a league-leading 1,793 yards in 2025. Kupp sees similarities between the two - both were initially pegged as slot receivers but have proven capable of lining up all over the field.
“Process over results,” Smith-Njigba said when asked about the best advice he’s gotten from Kupp.
That mindset has helped Smith-Njigba blossom into a true WR1 - a role Seattle carved out for him by moving on from Metcalf and Lockett. Kupp, meanwhile, was brought in not just for his familiarity with the system under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, but for his ability to mentor and elevate those around him.
And he’s done exactly that - without ever needing to be the center of attention.
“You’ve got guys who might go sit in the corner and complain about not getting targets,” Jackson said. “That’s not Coop.
He’s been nothing but professional. I could talk for hours about how selfless he is, how he goes about his business.
He’s been fantastic.”
The Final Chapter?
Sunday’s Super Bowl could be the final act of a remarkable season - and perhaps the last chance for this version of the Seahawks to win it all before changes come. Kubiak is expected to take the head coaching job in Las Vegas after the game. Kupp, now 32, isn’t the same player who once led the league in every major receiving category.
But his impact? It’s been as big as ever.
Whether it’s in the huddle, the meeting room, or the trenches on a run play, Cooper Kupp has helped lead this Seahawks team to the brink of history - not with gaudy numbers, but with championship habits.
And if Seattle hoists the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, don’t be surprised if Kupp’s fingerprints are all over it - even if his name isn’t at the top of the stat sheet.