Cooper Kupp’s journey to NFL stardom wasn’t exactly a straight line. It all began with a crucial conversation with his dad, Craig Kupp, who knew a thing or two about football himself as a former NFL quarterback. It was just a casual talk during a car ride to basketball practice when Cooper was in 6th grade, but it left a lasting impact on little Cooper.
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The Rams WR opened up about this transformative moment in an appearance on “The Pivot” podcast, reminiscing about his dad’s words of wisdom.
Craig Kupp laid out the harsh realities of pursuing dreams during the fateful car ride, telling his son that if he wanted to reach that top spot, he would have to work harder than everyone he met or saw.
He didn’t feel the need to sugarcoat the journey and even warned Cooper that things might not always seem fair. And that’s what stuck with Cooper as he revealed,
“That seed of just saying ‘Hey, this is something I know, this is what I want to do’ and just having someone point it out, point-blank, like, ‘Hey, this is what it’s going to take’ – from that moment on, it was an intentional piece of how I’ve handled practice, how I went about every part of my day.”
This five-minute car ride became a cornerstone of Cooper’s approach to his career. The lesson of outworking everyone else to achieve his lofty goals has been a driving force behind his success.
It’s also fostered a strong bond between the father and son, with Craig’s experience as a professional athlete adding weight to his advice. Perhaps it’s this grounded perspective that allows Cooper to shrug off comparisons to other wide receivers.
Cooper isn’t bothered by comparisons
The WR’s perspective on comparisons in the NFL is refreshingly grounded, another trait he attributes to his father’s guidance. When he was asked about the comparisons to his peers in the league who are dubbed naturally talented, the Rams WR revealed he shrugs it off with ease.
His father had already prepared him for this very scenario, explaining to him that comparisons to different types of players were inevitable in the NFL, but that it was all part of the journey.
Cooper took this to heart and created habits centered around giving his all and working tirelessly. As he developed physically, matching pace with more naturally gifted receivers, these habits became his secret weapon. They allowed him to grow on the field and compete at an increasingly high level.
“Guys that had that already, they were not challenged, they didn’t have to do anything. They could show up on Friday nights and dominate whoever was across them. I couldn’t do that…Now I know how to play this game technically, tactically and now my body’s coming along physically.“
This mindset has become his shield against the constant comparisons in the NFL. He understands that these evaluations will always be part of the game but instead of getting caught up in how he measures up to others, he remains focused on his own performance and growth.
