Cooper Kupp capped one of the greatest individual seasons by a receiver in NFL history with a dominant performance in Super Bowl LVI, leading the Rams to victory with two touchdowns including the go-ahead score with 1:25 remaining. The NFL Offensive Player of the Year finished 17 yards shy of Calvin Johnson’s single-season receiving yards record (albeit with an extra game) while becoming the first player since Steve Smith in 2005 to achieve the receiving “Triple Crown” by leading the league in catches (145), yards (1,947) and touchdowns (16).
On a stacked roster inundated with future Hall-of-Famers, you could make the argument no one was more valuable to the Rams’ success this year than Kupp, a lightly recruited prospect whose lone scholarship offers came from Eastern Washington and Idaho State, neither of whom play in FBS. Addressing fans at Wednesday’s victory parade, Kupp said the Rams drew inspiration from Los Angeles sports legend Kobe Bryant, a five-time NBA champion with the Lakers and one of the fiercest competitors to ever grace the hardwood.
“Kobe is a part of this,” said Kupp of the late Bryant while donning the Hall-of-Famer’s jersey. “He set the standard.”
Even two years after his tragic death, Bryant’s impact is still felt throughout the sports landscape, especially in his adopted city of Los Angeles, where the Black Mamba maintains icon status.
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