Commentary by Mike Vorel of SEattle times on Kupp signing.

[Spohawk5092]

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/ ... -is-worth/

[River Dog]

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/mar/14/commentary-why-cooper-kupps-wa-homecoming-is-worth/

Good article and should answer some of the questions ASF has raised about him. If healthy, the guy can still produce.

5'4" and 119 lbs as a high school freshman, meaning he grew 10" between then and college.

I followed Kupp when he was in college at EWU. I didn't think he'd succeed in the NFL as his measurables weren't very good. His time in the 40 was just 4.62, average if not below average for an NFL wide receiver. Metcalf, for example, ran a 4.33 at his combine.

[NorthHawk]

I mentioned in another thread that the Shanahan/McVay Offenses don’t require extreme athleticism but they do require precision to be effective. Kupp can help teach the other players the philosophy and subtleties of the Offense.

[River Dog]

I mentioned in another thread that the Shanahan/McVay Offenses don’t require extreme athleticism but they do require precision to be effective. Kupp can help teach the other players the philosophy and subtleties of the Offense.

Which is likely one of the reasons why Metcalf and his sloppy route running are no longer on the team.

[NorthHawk]

Metcalf said he wanted out, not that the Seahawks didn't want to keep him. I read a report that he signed with the Steelers for the same as we offered.

[River Dog]

Metcalf said he wanted out, not that the Seahawks didn't want to keep him. I read a report that he signed with the Steelers for the same as we offered.

I did say "one" of the reasons. His wanting out might have had something to do with our coaching staff getting on his ass for his sloppy route running.

[NorthHawk]

He's going to have a surprise with Tomlin in Pittsburgh, then.

[Aseahawkfan]

I did say "one" of the reasons. His wanting out might have had something to do with our coaching staff getting on his ass for his sloppy route running.

Doubtful. We'll see how JSN's production is when all the coverage is shaded his way rather than to DK.

DK didn't want to be in Seattle any longer. I'm surprised Pittsburgh ponied up the most for him. DK's claim he wanted to go to a contender is jibing with a move to Pitt as they don't even have a QB.

[Aseahawkfan]

Good article and should answer some of the questions ASF has raised about him. If healthy, the guy can still produce.

5'4" and 119 lbs as a high school freshman, meaning he grew 10" between then and college.

I followed Kupp when he was in college at EWU. I didn't think he'd succeed in the NFL as his measurables weren't very good. His time in the 40 was just 4.62, average if not below average for an NFL wide receiver. Metcalf, for example, ran a 4.33 at his combine.

Explains nothing except we might be paying 15 million for a guy to ride the bench hurt. The whole offseason looks like we did not much other than sign a mediocre QB who can't win important games and crumbles under pressure while we have a bad O-line, signed a receiver who can't stay on the field, re-signed a LB people like because our LB play has been so bad since Bobby and KJ deteriorated due to age, and have done nearly nothing to greatly improve the team.

All I have to hope for is the draft goes well.

As far as I see, a 2 year clock is running on John and possibly this coaching staff with the ownership of the team still in flux.

I'm expecting another 7 to 10 win season as Darnold beats weak teams and loses to good teams making us non-competitive for another year going on year 8 of non-contending, year 11 since the last time we sniffed a Super Bowl.

[River Dog]

Good article and should answer some of the questions ASF has raised about him. If healthy, the guy can still produce.

5'4" and 119 lbs as a high school freshman, meaning he grew 10" between then and college.

I followed Kupp when he was in college at EWU. I didn't think he'd succeed in the NFL as his measurables weren't very good. His time in the 40 was just 4.62, average if not below average for an NFL wide receiver. Metcalf, for example, ran a 4.33 at his combine.

Explains nothing except we might be paying 15 million for a guy to ride the bench hurt. The whole offseason looks like we did not much other than sign a mediocre QB who can't win important games and crumbles under pressure while we have a bad O-line, signed a receiver who can't stay on the field, re-signed a LB people like because our LB play has been so bad since Bobby and KJ deteriorated due to age, and have done nearly nothing to greatly improve the team.

All I have to hope for is the draft goes well.

As far as I see, a 2 year clock is running on John and possibly this coaching staff with the ownership of the team still in flux.

I'm expecting another 7 to 10 win season as Darnold beats weak teams and loses to good teams making us non-competitive for another year going on year 8 of non-contending, year 11 since the last time we sniffed a Super Bowl.

It explains one of the reasons why we signed him, that when healthy, Kupp is still a very productive receiver. You can't say that about Tyler Lockett.

As far as the injuries, goes, yes, it's a concern. A big concern. But if you want to compare Kupp's production last year vs. Tyler Lockett, Kupp had more receptions (67-49), more yards (710-600), and more TD's (6-2) in 11 games than Lockett had in 17. That's a big upgrade, and worth the gamble. He's an experienced receiver and has the potential to bring more to the WR room than a stat line.

But I agree with you about the clock ticking on JS. This season is it for me.

[NorthHawk]

I think people are discounting the experience Kupp has and his mastery of this system. He can pass on his knowledge to players like JSN and Bobo so they can exploit the advantages of this new (to the Seahawks) Offense.

[jshawaii22]

He's going to have a surprise with Tomlin in Pittsburgh, then.

Actually, it's Tomlin who's going to be surprised that a gifted athlete like DK just can't learn anything quickly or if he doesn't want to learn it.
Thanks for the #2 pick...

[NorthHawk]

I don’t think Tomlin takes any crap from players who aren’t fully on board and take the lazy way out.

[River Dog]

I think people are discounting the experience Kupp has and his mastery of this system. He can pass on his knowledge to players like JSN and Bobo so they can exploit the advantages of this new (to the Seahawks) Offense.

I remember a clip of Kupp being interviewed about a touchdown reception he made and gave the most technical answer I've ever heard given by a professional athlete:

https://www.si.com/nfl/matthew-stafford ... -interview

It was actually a setup, as Kupp was getting tired of the stupid questions being asked by reporters:

Back in 2021, after the Rams' regular season win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kupp gave an insanely complicated and technical answer about how he scored a touchdown that stunned an NFL reporter and the football community alike. Here's the interview for a quick refresher:

That moment was brought up by quarterback Matthew Stafford on a recent guest appearance on the New Heights podcast with Travis and Jason Kelce, and apparently, there's a great story behind Kupp's analytical answer.

Stafford admitted he and the Rams "give [Kupp] s---" for that interview all the time, and he then explained why Kupp peppered the reporter with a truckload of NFL jargon.

"The story behind that is, he's doing this interview postgame which he doesn't love being in front of the camera anyways," Stafford said. "And the reporter asks him a question and he answers it, she asks him another question and he answers it. It's like a third question and he's like, 'Okay, what is going on here? I'm trying to get off the field, get in the locker room and go.'

"She asks him one more question and so he's like, 'You know what? I'm just going to go top rope way over your head so that you're just gonna go 'okay thanks Cooper see you later'... Pretty veteran move by Coop."

That one tops Beast's post-game presser where he said that he was only answering questions to avoid being fined.

[Stream Hawk]

I love it. I definitely remember that interview and his crazy answers.

I can’t recall, River, did you go to Eastern as well?

[River Dog]

I love it. I definitely remember that interview and his crazy answers.

I can’t recall, River, did you go to Eastern as well?

Yes, I did, but it was Eastern Washington State College back then. I turned out for football in the fall of '73 as a freshman. I was part of the first graduating class of Eastern Washington University as they got their accreditation in the fall of '77, the quarter I graduated and a year ahead of their sister colleges Central and Western.

[Stream Hawk]

Nice. Dumb question, but were you there when the Seahawks practice or maybe they started in Kirkland? I’ve never even seen EWU. I did graduate from CWU (01’) and have lived by Western in Bellingham for almost a decade now.

[River Dog]

Nice. Dumb question, but were you there when the Seahawks practice or maybe they started in Kirkland? I’ve never even seen EWU. I did graduate from CWU (01’) and have lived by Western in Bellingham for almost a decade now.

Yep, I was heading into my senior year that summer of '76 and a couple of us drove up there and watched one of their practices that first year when they held their first ever training camp there. They chose Cheney for their summer camp for several reasons: They liked the hot summer weather of E. Washington, they wanted to get away to some degree from the Seattle media, and it was close to the Spokane airport so that when they cut a guy, they could have him on the plane before he could talk to the press. Eastern also had a modern, first-rate facility that had just opened a few years earlier.

One thing I remember about that practice session was all the fights. It was an expansion team, so every position was up for grabs. Jack Patera used to deny players water breaks, something that would be considered a criminal act in today's world. Even back then, every coach I ever played for not only gave us water breaks, but they also encouraged us to take them.

[Stream Hawk]

Those are some great stories! Now it makes a lot more sense why they chose the Cheney campus back then.

To bring it back to OP. So after seeing Cooper’s press conference and 710 interview today, I can tell he’s giddy to get back to his homeland and eat. This will be fun.

[River Dog]

Those are some great stories! Now it makes a lot more sense why they chose the Cheney campus back then.

To bring it back to OP. So after seeing Cooper’s press conference and 710 interview today, I can tell he’s giddy to get back to his homeland and eat. This will be fun.

If he were from UW or WSU, he might generate some much-needed enthusiasm in our fan base. But being that he's from the Palm Springs of Washington via EWU, he's not likely to create much of a stir.

[Uppercut]

Should have snapped DeeBo away from Quinn

[Irish Greg 2.0]

Should have snapped DeeBo away from Quinn

That was a trade, and in no universe was SF going to deal him to us.

[Agent 86]

Explains nothing except we might be paying 15 million for a guy to ride the bench hurt. The whole offseason looks like we did not much other than sign a mediocre QB who can't win important games and crumbles under pressure while we have a bad O-line, signed a receiver who can't stay on the field, re-signed a LB people like because our LB play has been so bad since Bobby and KJ deteriorated due to age, and have done nearly nothing to greatly improve the team.

All I have to hope for is the draft goes well.

As far as I see, a 2 year clock is running on John and possibly this coaching staff with the ownership of the team still in flux.

I'm expecting another 7 to 10 win season as Darnold beats weak teams and loses to good teams making us non-competitive for another year going on year 8 of non-contending, year 11 since the last time we sniffed a Super Bowl.

You should read the link Aseahawfan. I know it won't change your mind and you will do your usual poo poo'ing of any move you don't agree with. But I have said this to you before and will say it again, you underestimate the mind, will, drive, passion, and work ethic of a a pro athlete constantly, especially a guy like Cooper Kupp. It gets tiresome to read but to each his own I guess.

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/brock-and-salk/seattle-seahawks-cooper-kupp-best-thing-said/1803826

[4XPIPS]

You should read the link Aseahawfan. I know it won't change your mind and you will do your usual poo poo'ing of any move you don't agree with. But I have said this to you before and will say it again, you underestimate the mind, will, drive, passion, and work ethic of a a pro athlete constantly, especially a guy like Cooper Kupp. It gets tiresome to read but to each his own I guess.

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/brock-and-salk/seattle-seahawks-cooper-kupp-best-thing-said/1803826

A lot of people can make the argument about Saquon and all his injuries. I think many believed the hype was too much, and the Giants were tired of Saquon being out due to injuries, and they let him walk, and look at one good healthy year can do for a guy. It's a big "if" for Kupp, but there is that chance he can keep it clean and ball out for us.

[Aseahawkfan]

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/brock-and-salk/seattle-seahawks-cooper-kupp-best-thing-said/1803826

I read the link. What makes you think his mind was any different during his injury years? What makes you think the mind of an injured player is any different than wanting to come back 100 percent strong? How often did I hear this same thing about Rashad Penny or Marcus Tubbs or any of the many players that are great when on the field, but can't stay on it. Not sure why people think of what I'm doing as "poo-pooing." I'm a realist. I see what the person does and call the pattern. If you've said this thing you said about athletes, you've been wrong more often than you been right. So that should tell you something about the bodies of great athletes. The mind can't do what the body can't do. You can have a will of steel and be sharp in the film room, but if your body can't endure the NFL beating or you don't have the talent, it doesn't matter how strong your mind is.

I don't get on here and toot my horn when I'm right, but people tend to forget how often I'm right. But I don't want to be right. I'd much prefer to be wrong.

I hear Riverdog calling Hawktawk right, while forgetting I said the likely outcome when Russ left was that Pete leaves shortly after and both are done. Which is what happened. Neither Russ nor Pete recovered from the downturn.
I said Geno will never win jack squat and he hasn't. Just a bridge QB that turned one good season into a minor career revival. He was never a playoff competitive QB.

Why do I say these things? Because I'm "smart." No. It's because I've watched this game for 40 years now. I know the patterns and seen the same hype over again. I still remember Seattle fans hyping up John Frieze way back when he had a short productive run that got him an extension that turned into nothing.

NFL works a certain way. It has for all the years I've been watching it. What's true? Rarely do bad to middling QBs become great. Injured players don't suddenly recover to their previous levels after multiple down years from injuries. If there is a freak injury that takes them out one year like to Adrian Peterson or Tom Brady, then they can come back, but not multiple injury years and problems. If you you want to build a strong talent base, then you gotta crash and burn a few years then draft well to stock up on great talent. Even Carroll started in a great draft position and made it count drafting Okung, a starting LT, and Earl Thomas, a safety that made the Legion of Boom work and may likely make the Hall of Fame.

I'm a believe it when I see it guy. If I were a betting man, I'd bet John Schneider and possibly this whole coaching staff are gone in a few years and these moves will just keep us in the 7 to 10 win, non-competitive status quo purgatory we've been in. We'll see in a few years and the only thing that saves Schneider at this point is drafting a whole lot better than he has been drafting in the past 7 years or so.

But I get it. This is the hype phase for the new season. A bunch of people are high that Kupp, the hometown boy, is playing for the Seahawks. Nothing would make me happier than to be proven wrong because I don't exactly enjoy watching a non-compettive team for the last 8 years or so. It hasn't been enjoyable to watch year after year not really be competitive.

The most fun to watch this team has been is the few playoff seasons in the 80s under Knox, the Holmgren Era when he had the team competing for real, and the Carroll Super Bowl Era build up and finally winning the big game. These non-competitive eras where we get hyped up about Seahawk teams that aren't very good watching great players prime years wasted is not fun at all. I hope Spoon and JSN don't end up playing for a Seattle team that is in non-competitive purgatory for their entire careers until they leave or are on the downside of their careers.

As it is right now, Schneider is just tossing band-aids on and needs a great draft to get things really moving in the right direction.

[Agent 86]

I read the link. What makes you think his mind was any different during his injury years? What makes you think the mind of an injured player is any different than wanting to come back 100 percent strong? How often did I hear this same thing about Rashad Penny or Marcus Tubbs or any of the many players that are great when on the field, but can't stay on it. Not sure why people think of what I'm doing as "poo-pooing." I'm a realist. I see what the person does and call the pattern. If you've said this thing you said about athletes, you've been wrong more often than you been right. So that should tell you something about the bodies of great athletes. The mind can't do what the body can't do. You can have a will of steel and be sharp in the film room, but if your body can't endure the NFL beating or you don't have the talent, it doesn't matter how strong your mind is.

I don't get on here and toot my horn when I'm right, but people tend to forget how often I'm right. But I don't want to be right. I'd much prefer to be wrong.

I hear Riverdog calling Hawktawk right, while forgetting I said the likely outcome when Russ left was that Pete leaves shortly after and both are done. Which is what happened. Neither Russ nor Pete recovered from the downturn.
I said Geno will never win jack squat and he hasn't. Just a bridge QB that turned one good season into a minor career revival. He was never a playoff competitive QB.

Why do I say these things? Because I'm "smart." No. It's because I've watched this game for 40 years now. I know the patterns and seen the same hype over again. I still remember Seattle fans hyping up John Frieze way back when he had a short productive run that got him an extension that turned into nothing.

NFL works a certain way. It has for all the years I've been watching it. What's true? Rarely do bad to middling QBs become great. Injured players don't suddenly recover to their previous levels after multiple down years from injuries. If there is a freak injury that takes them out one year like to Adrian Peterson or Tom Brady, then they can come back, but not multiple injury years and problems. If you you want to build a strong talent base, then you gotta crash and burn a few years then draft well to stock up on great talent. Even Carroll started in a great draft position and made it count drafting Okung, a starting LT, and Earl Thomas, a safety that made the Legion of Boom work and may likely make the Hall of Fame.

I'm a believe it when I see it guy. If I were a betting man, I'd bet John Schneider and possibly this whole coaching staff are gone in a few years and these moves will just keep us in the 7 to 10 win, non-competitive status quo purgatory we've been in. We'll see in a few years and the only thing that saves Schneider at this point is drafting a whole lot better than he has been drafting in the past 7 years or so.

But I get it. This is the hype phase for the new season. A bunch of people are high that Kupp, the hometown boy, is playing for the Seahawks. Nothing would make me happier than to be proven wrong because I don't exactly enjoy watching a non-compettive team for the last 8 years or so. It hasn't been enjoyable to watch year after year not really be competitive.

The most fun to watch this team has been is the few playoff seasons in the 80s under Knox, the Holmgren Era when he had the team competing for real, and the Carroll Super Bowl Era build up and finally winning the big game. These non-competitive eras where we get hyped up about Seahawk teams that aren't very good watching great players prime years wasted is not fun at all. I hope Spoon and JSN don't end up playing for a Seattle team that is in non-competitive purgatory for their entire careers until they leave or are on the downside of their careers.

As it is right now, Schneider is just tossing band-aids on and needs a great draft to get things really moving in the right direction.

Well Asea, I certainly appreciate the response, very detailed and well put. I totally see your side of things. I guess there is a little part of me who wishes you saw the "exception to the rule" in some of the moves made, I am definitely a glass half full guy and as you said, it is "hype" season right now. I think the knocking of the Darnold and Kupp signings before they even take a snap got to me and I do think you put these types of moves into one category and don't subscribe to having any exceptions to it. There has been way more bad than good for sure though, I agree with that.

We all want this team to be back where it was for those 2012-2015 years, true contenders. I don't know if the team will ever get back to that level of dominance on D, those years were historical and what I would deem "once in a lifetime" type of defense, truly special. Schneider definitely has his work cut out for him to get back there and the clock should be ticking on him. I hope it all works out, I really like Mike Macdonald as our coach.

[Aseahawkfan]

Well Asea, I certainly appreciate the response, very detailed and well put. I totally see your side of things. I guess there is a little part of me who wishes you saw the "exception to the rule" in some of the moves made, I am definitely a glass half full guy and as you said, it is "hype" season right now. I think the knocking of the Darnold and Kupp signings before they even take a snap got to me and I do think you put these types of moves into one category and don't subscribe to having any exceptions to it. There has been way more bad than good for sure though, I agree with that.

We all want this team to be back where it was for those 2012-2015 years, true contenders. I don't know if the team will ever get back to that level of dominance on D, those years were historical and what I would deem "once in a lifetime" type of defense, truly special. Schneider definitely has his work cut out for him to get back there and the clock should be ticking on him. I hope it all works out, I really like Mike Macdonald as our coach.

I will hope for the best with you. Nothing would make me happier than to see Kupp return to form and Darnold suddenly have found his way at QB in Seattle and we are competitive again. I like turnaround stories as rare as they are.

None of us like watching a non-competitive Seattle team. We get enough of that with the Mariners who have this amazing pitching staff the ownership is wasting because they won't spend money on bats. I hate seeing all that quality pitching wasted because we have these inconsistent, dead bats.

At least the NFL has a salary cap and makes the teams spend enough of it to field a competitive team, which is why NFL GMs are the most important GMs in sports. With an even money playing field, you really have to draft and manage the cap well. Whereas baseball you have to be rich and willing to spend the money to build a team like the Yankees or Dodgers.