Cooper Kupp won the second Super Bowl of his career with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. During the celebration parade that followed, he was naturally taking it all in with his teammates and the fanbase. However, as he took the podium and said a few words to the crowd, fans walked away confused by his pep talk about a certain fruit.
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For those unaware, Kupp has always been the oddball of the bunch. In high school, he would wear ankle weights to class for training. He also has a “chaotic” and unorthodox style of play as a receiver that some coaches would call uncoachable.
When it comes to words, Kupp is just as odd. It was especially evident in his Super Bowl speech. “Washington! How about them apples, huh?” Kupp asked the crowd, before adding, “Hey, thank you, guys, for embracing a kid, a couple of kids from Eastern Washington, from Yakima, to Tri-Cities. I appreciate you all.”
They were nice words for the receiver to say to the crowd, especially since Kupp grew up in Yakima, Washington, and went to Eastern Washington for college, where he holds school records in almost every receiving category. But fans ultimately walked away confused about why the Seahawks receiver brought up apples.
It perhaps has to do with the fact that Seattle produces a ton of apples every year. Washington, as a whole, produces the most apples in the US. About 60-63% of all apples in America come from the state.
That said, ‘How do you like them apples?’ is a saying that dates back to the 1800s. Today, it’s often used jokingly, like a classic dad joke, or after someone claims victory over another. It was also a popular phrase in the blockbuster film, ‘Good Will Hunting.’
.@CooperKupp really said “how bout them apples?” pic.twitter.com/6dw1mNoF39
— NFL (@NFL) February 11, 2026
At the end of the day, nobody was too surprised to see the Seahawks walk away with the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday. They were heavily favored going into the contest and did what they were expected to do. The 29-13 final scoreline doesn’t fully encapsulate how dominant they were defensively. They didn’t allow the New England Patriots to score until the fourth quarter.
It was surprising to see Kupp lead the Seahawks in receiving by the end of the game. His six catches for 61 yards played a big role in moving the chains and putting points on the board. He now becomes the first player in NFL history to lead two separate teams in receiving in the Super Bowl.
