The Rams star is pacing toward a receiver triple crown win, leading the league in receptions, yards, and scores.
Though Odell Beckham Jr.’s signing and Robert Woods’ torn ACL may have garnered more headlines in Los Angeles over the last few weeks, that shouldn’t take away from what Cooper Kupp has accomplished. Not only has he been the Rams’ best offensive player this season, but he’s having one of the great wide receiver seasons ever.
The 28-year-old racked up eight more catches for 129 yards and a touchdown in a 37-7 rout of Jacksonville on Sunday as the Rams improved to 8-4 on the season and snapped a three-game losing streak. Kupp now has an even 100 receptions for 1,366 yards and 11 scores, leading the league in each of the three wide receiver “triple crown” categories.
His century of catches is a whopping 14 more than the three wideouts tied for second: Kansas City‘s Tyreek Hill, Miami rookie Jaylen Waddle and the Chargers’ Keenan Allen. Kupp’s league lead in yards is more than 150 more than Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, who has 1,209.
Kupp became just the fourth player in NFL history with 100 catches over his first 12 games, joining Michael Thomas’s 110 (2019), Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison’s 109 (2002), and Julio Jones’ 102 (2015). The Eastern Washington product is now the third player in league history with at least 1,350 receiving yards through his first dozen games, joining Lions Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, who had 1,428 yards in 2012, and Rams legend Torry Holt, who had 1,387 in 2003.
“He does everything right,” Rams QB Matthew Stafford said. “He leads that receiver group in the right way, so I pinch myself every day. Just happy I get a chance to play with a guy like that. I have a lot of respect for how he goes about his business and how he goes about attacking each opportunity, whether it be practice or games. And then he’s great on game day. Run after the catch, getting open versus man, feeling voids versus zone. He’s got a great feel for the game of football.”
The Yakima, Washington native’s consistency has also been historic. He’s now the sixth player in NFL history to record at least eight consecutive games of at least 90 receiving yards, joining 2018 Adam Thielen, 2014 Beckham Jr., 2012 Johnson, 1995 Michael Irvin and 1982 Dwight Clark. The last Rams player with seven straight 90-plus yard games? Elroy Hirsch in 1951.
Kupp’s more than earning a three-year, $47 million extension he signed in 2020 that would bring him to free agency after the 2023 season. If the receiving triple crown wasn’t enough, he’s also leading the league in yards after catch with 597 and catches for first downs with 64, and is second behind Jefferson with 20 catches resulting in first downs.
With a two-game cushion ahead of the playoff line in the NFC, Los Angeles has a pivotal Monday night showdown next week against the NFC West and NFL-leading Arizona Cardinals. A win would not only get the Rams closer to a division crown and a first round bye, but will be another chance for Kupp to prove that he’s not only the league’s best wide receiver but is having one of the greatest receiving seasons in NFL history.
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