Cooper Kupp says his run with the Los Angeles Rams is coming to an end – against his will.
The wide receiver revealed Monday that the team plans to trade him despite his wishes to remain with the organization.
‘I was informed that the team will be seeking a trade immediately and will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championships,’ Kupp wrote on X. ‘I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA.
‘Still, if there’s one thing that I have learned over the years: there are so many things that are out of your control, but it is how you respond to these things that you will look back on and remember.’
Kupp, who turns 32 in June, reiterated in January his plans to play in 2025 despite missing 18 games over the last three seasons due to injury.
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‘2024 began with one of the best training camps of my career,’ Kupp wrote Monday. ‘Preparations start now for 2025. Highly motivated, as healthy as ever, and looking forward to playing elite football for years to come.’
A third-round pick out of Eastern Washington in 2017, Kupp enjoyed a breakout season in 2021, when he was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year after leading the NFL with 145 catches, 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns. He earned Super Bowl 56 MVP honors after hauling in eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score with 1:25 remaining.
In the last two years, however, the Rams’ passing attack has centered on Puka Nacua, who has recorded 184 catches for 2,476 yards since being selected as a fifth-round pick in 2023.
Kupp is under contract through the 2026 season, with his upcoming cap hit of $29.78 million ranking as the fifth highest for any player at his position. He was frequently discussed as a potential candidate to be moved ahead of the NFL trade deadline in early November, but the team held onto him amid its push for an NFC West title.
If the Rams are unable to find a trade partner willing to take on Kupp’s current deal, they would be saddled with a $22.26 million dead cap hit but save $7.52 million against the cap.
This story has been updated with new information.