Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp’s Bond Endures Beyond the Rams

Before coming into the 2025 NFL season, many fans were shocked that the Los Angeles Rams did not bring back wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Kupp was drafted by the Rams and spent his whole career with the team until this season. He was the star wide receiver and was one of the most important pieces in the Rams' winning the Super Bowl in the 2021 season. That was an unbelievable season for the Rams, and Kupp was the Super Bowl MVP.

It was hard to see Kupp go for many, but for Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, it was difficult. When Stafford came to Los Angeles, Kupp welcomed him with open arms, and they instinctively clicked. Not just on the football field but off it. They became close friend and remain that way now.

dwcd — May 28, 2024; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) during OTAs at the team training facility at California Lutheran University. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Kupp signed with the Rams' NFC West rival, the Seattle Seahawks, in the offseason, and it has been weird seeing him in that uniform. The Rams have seen him twice this season, and the recent one came this past Thursday Night in an instant classic. And Kupp made one of the biggest plays in the game. Kupp had a huge catch in overtime that set up the Seahawks for a massive win.

After the game Stafford was looking for Kupp and the two of them shared a special moment with each other.

wcdw — Sep 18, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) speaks with quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) before playing against the Atlanta Falcons at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Stafford and Kupp After Game

"As the players jogged off the field, Stafford headed for the tunnel and the visitors' locker room at Seattle's Lumen Field. But Kupp, wanting to share a few words with his friend and former signal-caller, went out of his way to jog across the field after Stafford, finally reaching the Rams QB after he had entered the tunnel," said Tim Capurso of Sports Illustrated. "The two former teammates embraced and exchanged a few words before heading their separate ways.

“I’m looking forward to seeing him. I haven’t seen him in a while. Saw him a little bit, probably, before the season started in the summer. But looking forward to it. I’m glad he’s feeling good and ready to rock and roll,” said Matthew Stafford. “He’s a lifelong friend of mine. Obviously, we’ll be competing against him this weekend, but it’ll be good to see him.”

This moment between Cooper Kupp and Matthew Stafford 🥺 #TNFonPrime pic.twitter.com/oK1KKNIR3O
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) December 19, 2025

It might not be the last time these two and their teams see each other. They could match up in the NFL playoffs. For now, Seattle has the No. 1 seed, and the Rams dropped all the way to No. 5.

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