Twitter Reacts to Kingsbury's Jokes Toward Donald, Kupp Futures
In the midst of the team's third week of voluntary OTAs, Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury provided comedy to the sports world.
On June 9, Kingsbury shared that he was at Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay's wedding last weekend. The 42-year-old coach told reporters that he talked to Rams stars at McVay's wedding, including eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald and wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
In a joking fashion, Kingsbury told both to leave the team. Kingsbury specifically asked Donald to retire as there was a rumor that the 31-year-old was contemplating retirement after the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI win in February.
Unfortunately for Kingsbury, Donald received a three-year extension on Monday with the Rams that will pay him around $31.6 million per year.
“I did my best to try and get Aaron Donald to retire; obviously that didn’t work,” Kingsbury said jokingly to reporters on Thursday. “I told him he accomplished all he could accomplish and I think it’s a great idea to go out on your own terms, all that."
Then, two days later after Donald's new deal, Kupp signed a three-year extension that equals $110 million through the next five years. Kingsbury's joking advice to hold out for a larger deal also did not work.
Kingsbury said, “And then I told Kupp, I was basically like, ‘I know you and Sean are friends but stop taking that McVay discount, hold out for the first three weeks and get something sorted out.’ You can tell that did not work out, either.”
ESPN Cardinals writer Josh Weinfuss tweeted about Kingsbury's joking attempt to thwart Donald and Kupp's deals.
The Internet ate it up, especially Rams fans who love nothing more than to see a division rival's plan fail.
Some took Kingsbury's comments seriously and even brought up tampering, which has no merit as the Cardinals head coach expressed no interest in the two players.
Kidding aside, Kingsbury was amazed to see a large number of NFL people whom McVay has worked with in the past.
“I told Sean this, but just to see that many coaches that he’s worked with, young, old, former,” Kingsbury said. “Former players, current players show up to support him. It just shows the impact he has on those guys."
Kingsbury is 1-6 against the Rams in his Arizona tenure — including a 34-11 playoff loss that ended the Cardinals' 2021 season.
The Rams have stars galore that also includes quarterback Matthew Stafford and cornerback Jalen Ramsey and who will remain a problem for the Cardinals next season.
