He doesn’t wear horns anymore. He doesn’t need to.
Cooper Kupp, a native of Seattle, has always understood timing — routes that break at the exact second of an explosive play, moments that land with the weight of history. On Sunday night at Lumen Field in front of hundreds of friends and family, the former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver delivered his most ruthless performance against the franchise that once crowned him Super Bowl MVP.
The box score will read: four catches, for thirty-six yards, and one touchdown. But two of those plays buried the Rams’ season.
The first cut took place midway through the third quarter. With the Rams still clinging to hope, Kupp slipped free in the end zone for Seattle’s final touchdown of the night, pushing the Seahawks ahead 31–20 with 4:52 left in the third quarter.
The second wound never healed.
Trailing 31–27 late, the Rams defense finally had what it needed — a chance. Third-and-7. Seattle’s 28-yard line. One stop, one punt, one final possession for Matthew Stafford to captain the comeback. The script writes itself.
Sam Darnold checked it down. Kupp sprinted across the middle. He reached out for the first down just as he was tackled to the ground.
Ballgame. Or was it?
Replay suggested Kupp was short. The ball popped loose as he rolled. Similar plays were ruled incomplete during these playoffs, including a controversial call involving Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks in Denver. Sean McVay burned a timeout and pleaded with an official, caught on the broadcast asking, “Why not?” There was no challenge. No explanation. Just another first down and another chunk of belief ripped away.
THE #RAMS JUST GOT COMPLETELY SCREWED BY THE REFS.
COOPER KUPP DID NOT CATCH THIS BALL.
KUPP WAS ALSO CLEARLY SURE OF THE FIRST DOWN LINE.
THIS IS ABSURD THAT THIS WAS NOT REVIEWED.
INSANE. pic.twitter.com/YxcrlQsGoi
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) January 26, 2026
Safety Quentin Lake tried to keep perspective afterward, but the damage was done. Seattle bled the clock down even further. The Rams bled timeouts.
And then came insult to injury.
A few plays later, Darnold inexplicably stopped the clock with an incompletion. Relief flickered — briefly. A flag followed. Holding. Cobie Durant. The receiver drawing it was Kupp, again. Another first down. Another door slammed shut on the Rams’ season.
“Good game,” Durant told The Post, clearly trying to avoid the fine that comes for criticizing officials. “That’s it. That’s it.”
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The Seahawks ran the clock down to 25 seconds to all but seal the victory for Seattle.
When it ended, there were no celebrations from Kupp on the field. Only embraces with his former teammates. First with his old quarterback, Matthew Stafford, the duo won a Super Bowl together just four years ago.
“I love that dude,” Stafford said. “I’m super proud of him.”
Puka Nacua, who Kupp mentored for two seasons before he was unceremoniously released by the Rams on March 12 of last year, made sure to find his friend immediately following the game.
“That’s my mentor, and a friend to me,” said Nacua. “I wanted to congratulate him on the game that he had, and congratulate him on the opportunity to go out there and play for another Super Bowl. I love that dude.”
The Rams once built a Super Bowl around Kupp’s brilliance. On Sunday, that same brilliance ensured they wouldn’t return.
