No player in the NFL has had a journey quite like Cooper Kupp. The man from Yakima, Washington has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. He has played on an eye sore like the blood red field of 8600 seat Roos Field to dominating defenses inside the LA Coliseum and SoFi Stadium.
In Kupp's football life, he has seen a lot. He hasn't quite seen anything like what unfolded for the Rams during the preparation for their opening playoff matchup. Despite the changes, Kupp remains focused at the task at hand.
As a football player, the only thing that matters is winning. As a father and husband, football means nothing compared to the well-being of his family. Kupp spoke to reporters on Saturday, detailing what his past 72 hours have looked like.
When asked about how his family is holding up despite the raging wildfires, Kupp said "We're doing well. We were able to get out of [our house] and get up north. It's just an unprecedented situation for all the people that have gone through and lost everything. You just feel for these people whose lives have been uprooted here. It hurts. My stomach is just sick for how this has all played out. Obviously, I have so much respect for the first responders, the people that are in there fighting... have and are continuing to. Man, just really hurting for the people in this community."
When asked about how his three sons are holding up, all under the age of ten, Kupp explained "I don't know. We've tried to keep this as stress free [as possible] for the boys with all the movement stuff that's been going on. They had the [flu] bug that's been going around for a couple of weeks. Just got over that and certainly, we're all over the place. Try to keep it as normal as possible but keep them busy. Lego sets, go to the zoo, and go do something."
Throughout the transition, there was a bit of a unique experience for the Kupp family as they flew out with the team, getting a bit on insight into what dad does when he's away from home. Kupp stated "I never thought that what these last few days has been like... first as an organization, being on
the team plane with all the families and stuff like that, it's something impressive. Eight years of
playing the league and like.... hey, this is what it's like when we're traveling. It was cool to have
that experience with my boys and with my wife, and obviously to be here. Super thankful for the
Rams for being able to handle and take care of the families here within the organization."
When it came to balancing his work and life, especially with what is happening in the place he represents, Kupp told reporters "There won't be normal. You try to be where your feet are and understand that this is where we are and we have a task to do. When we get out into the field, it’s focused on being where we are. You try to be normal in the sense of like... hey, these are the same things that we're asking of you. Just be present at this moment. There is nothing normal about practicing in the Arizona Cardinals facility and everything that's going on. All the implications that are going around, you still feel that but at the end of the day, it’s nice to go be out here with the guys, have a task, and have something to work for."
Kupp and the Rams look to make a statement on Monday. For Kupp himself, this will be his first "home" playoff game since his triple crown winning season of 2021. That year ended with a win in Super Bowl LVI.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as Cooper Kupp Provides Insight On His Last 72 Hours as a Family Man and Football Player.