Cooper Kupp’s numbers slipped, but his impact lingered in 2025. As Jaxson Smith-Njigba won Offensive Player of the Year and the Seahawks won the Super Bowl, he became a storyline of his own after the Los Angeles Rams moved on. As things settled, Rams legend Torry Holt made it clear he believes letting Kupp walk was a mistake.

“Based off of watching him (Kupp) in Seattle? Yes. What he could have provided to the Rams? Absolutely,” Holt told Kay Adams when asked if the Rams made a mistake in letting Kupp go. “Not only his production, but just being the mold that model of consistency out in Los Angeles would have been fantastic. I understand the business. I’m happy Cooper went somewhere that wanted him.”

Holt’s perspective isn’t hard to understand, considering he also spent a decade with the Rams as a wide receiver. Kupp and Matthew Stafford built one of the league’s most reliable quarterback-receiver connections. In 48 games together, Kupp totaled 341 catches for 4,159 yards and 34 touchdowns. When he left Los Angeles for Seattle, that chemistry left with him.

Stafford went on to win his first MVP, but the Rams’ receiver depth showed cracks at key moments. Even after adding Davante Adams in 2025, Los Angeles lacked a true WR3, particularly when Adams battled a late-season hamstring injury during the push for the NFC’s top seed.

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That doesn’t mean Kupp would have slotted in as a third option at age 32, but it does mean his presence would have stabilized the room. But the Rams let him go, and that decision was about more than just the business side of things.

Just about half a decade ago, in 2021, Kupp nearly hit 2,000 total receiving yards and later earned Super Bowl MVP honors with 92 receiving yards, a seven-yard carry, and two touchdowns in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals. By 2025, the Rams were fully invested in Puka Nacua as the top receiver following his rapid rise.

From there, roles and finances became complicated. It seemed unlikely Kupp would willingly embrace a reduced role and pay cut. Yet reports suggested he would have considered both to remain in Los Angeles. Instead of renegotiating, the Rams released him outright and even encouraged retirement. Kupp reportedly felt there were internal signals discouraging teams from offering more than a veteran minimum.

Fast forward to now, and the separation appears to have cost the Rams something tangible, even if not catastrophic. Kupp delivered a steady average season in Seattle, but his influence in the locker room was undeniable as the Seahawks captured their second Super Bowl. In the process, his coach has openly suggested that Kupp’s track record now carries legitimate Hall of Fame weight.

Mike Macdonald shares his opinion on Cooper Kupp’s Hall of Fame talks

Four years after winning his first Super Bowl, Cooper Kupp found himself on a familiar stage. The only difference was that he was on a new sideline, in a new locker room, and under a new head coach.

After the Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13, head coach Mike Macdonald didn’t hesitate when discussing what the moment meant for Kupp’s legacy.

“Cooper is an absolute force multiplier, an absolute stud of a person, stud of a teammate,” Macdonald said. “This should cement him in the Hall of Fame, in my opinion. Super Bowl MVP, two-time champion, all-time great teammate.”

Statistically, Kupp’s first regular season in Seattle wasn’t eye-popping. He finished with 47 catches for 593 yards and two touchdowns, his lowest output in seasons where he played at least 10 games. By his own standards, it was modest. But his value showed up when the stakes rose.

Across three postseason games, Kupp tallied 15 receptions for 157 yards and a touchdown as Seattle went 3-0. That included six catches for 61 yards in Super Bowl LX. It’s early to lock in legacy talk, but when Macdonald frames Kupp as Hall of Fame material, it feels like something that is bound to happen.