COOPER KUPP: It was good. That was a good win. Yeah, it was super cool. It was awesome being able to share it with the guys and having the families down on the field. It was super cool.
Q. How important has this year been for you (indiscernible)?
COOPER KUPP: Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I still don't really -- I was asked about that same thing last night. I still don't really have words for it. It's just been such an incredible -- it's been an incredible journey.
Just to see the excitement around here, being a part of this team, this organization, seeing the excitement there is just around Seattle, how many people are bought in on what we've created in this building and how it's just permeated out, it's really cool. Really cool to be a part of.
Looking forward to going out there in a couple weeks and the opportunity it seal the deal. So, yeah, it's been really cool.
Q. What did that mean when Matthew Stafford came over?
COOPER KUPP: Yeah, that's awesome. It's Matthew. I mean, just an unbelievable competitor, unbelievable football player. He's one of the best to play the position. That's just what it is.
Really hard being on the sidelines watching him with the football. Like it's disheartening because you know what he's capable of. Obviously just so much love for him as a friend, and so for him in that moment to be able to like just linger on the field and come find me means a lot.
Yeah, that was pretty cool moment.
Q. Between him and Sam, how good was the quarterback play?
COOPER KUPP: Oh, it was, yeah, it was unbelievable. What those guys were doing, the show they were putting on, it was incredible.
Yeah, I mean, for the game just overall there was really good defensive play, really good offensive play, just guys making plays all over the place. And, yeah, really cool game to be a part of.
Q. How do you -- is there anything you do to remember these games, grab a handful of confetti? What is your custom?
COOPER KUPP: I don't know. I think a lot of it is like in the little -- you have family and stuff taking photos and videos and share those around. It's a fun thing to look back on.
But really for me it's just being in those moments, being down there with Anna and my boys, and my dad was able to come down and be on the field as well. But to be able to celebrate with my wife and boys was just a really special thing.
And so it's things like that. It's the little moments throughout the game, the conversations, the little things of like, man, the detail of the small little thing that we got to share together and make plays come alive, all those things.
Those things, they stick with you and make these kinds of moments pretty special.
Q. Now that that's over, what did it mean up against the Rams?
COOPER KUPP: Yeah, it was cool. I mean, that was -- for this story to be what it was, like had to be through the Rams to be able to get to where we wanted to go, NFC Championship in that moment.
Yeah, script writers did a good job with that one, tell you what.
Q. When you reached for the last first down, did you first realize you had it, did you fear...challenge?
COOPER KUPP: Yeah, so that's a cardinal sin. You don't do that on third down. But I felt good about -- I felt good about how -- where I was at holding the ball and I also felt like based on how my momentum was going, where the DB was, how my body position was the only chance I had was to try to reach that thing out.
I wasn't concerned about the ball coming out. I knew the ground had forced the ball out, so weren't concerns about that. The spot a little bit I was -- I knew it was close. But, yeah.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
COOPER KUPP: No, I didn't even look. I didn't look. I think it's tough with ball -- I mean, it's hard in those reviews. It's got to be a pretty good, clear, significant difference with the refs.
I felt like it was super close and so I wasn't too concerned about it. You know, if it was short, I don't know, but I have a feeling Mike is going for it there and we're sneaking that thing across.
Q. He said so this morning.
COOPER KUPP: There you go. Yeah.
Q. It's cardinal sin on third down to reach across?
COOPER KUPP: Yeah, you never reach on third down. Fourth down, end of game, last play of the game where it's fourth down, that's where you can reach.
On third down it's because of that. Like if it was close and you get tackled and you're short you have an opportunity to go for it still. You reach for it on third down, fumble, that opportunity is gone now. You eliminated the chance for anything on fourth down.
And so that's why you don't do it on third, but it worked out. Process over results, so you don't do that. Don't do it.
Q. I don't know if you thought it would take until the conference title game to get your first touchdown in that stadium, but ends up being the winning points to get to the Super Bowl. What is that...
COOPER KUPP: I hadn't even thought about that. But, yeah, it was -- like I said it was a very cool, really cool thing to be a part of. I don't know, just a small part of me that knew that at the end of the game it was going to come down to -- like, man, it's going to come down to me having to make a play. I know it is.
So to be in that place and be able to have the opportunity to make that play, it meant a lot. It was a really cool thing to be a part of.
Q. Last Super Bowl was a home game. It was COVID. Can you reflect on that? What are you looking forward to on this one?
COOPER KUPP: Yeah, but I did -- like in 2018 I wasn't playing in the game. 2018 went to Atlanta for the Super Bowl trip, so I have a little bit of a feel for what the rhythm of that is.
2021 we got to stay in our facility and practiced in our facility. We were able to sleep in our own beds. So a little bit different in that regard.
It will be fun. It's going to be a new journey, new team, new experience, and excited about these next two weeks. Going to be really fun.
Q. (Regarding Puka.)
COOPER KUPP: Uh-huh.
Q. Any conflict in your mind? Obviously you want to beat the Rams...
COOPER KUPP: Yeah, he had an unbelievable game. The year that he had was unreal. Just, yeah, that's just been -- it's hard because those guys, a lot of those guys that were across the field last night are my best friends, lifelong friends of mine.
There is always -- it's just a weird conflict, a weird thing to work through. But, yeah, he's a phenomenal player, and did some unbelievable things this year and last night.
So, yeah, it was great to see another guy that came up and was able to have a word with him after the game. So, yeah.
Q. Every first-time coach that goes through a Super Bowl seems to come back the next time with a lot of the lessons about what they would do differently. From your experience, what have you learned that you maybe didn't know the first time you went to the Super Bowl?
COOPER KUPP: Yeah, well, there is a lot of things. Yeah, I think you just try to keep this -- everyone is going to tell you that this is -- this game is different. Everything about it is telling you for some reason that this week 21 game or whatever it is, is different than all the other ones.
But it's not. The game is going to start. It's going to take a little bit longer to get there. But the game will start and when the game is going it's the game.
I think keeping that and let that be kind of the theme for how you want to go about your process over the next two weeks is the way to do it. No need to reinvent anything. Just handle your process.
Q. (No microphone.)
COOPER KUPP: Yeah, well, yeah, there is. There is a great balance and I'm sure the coaches will have a great plan for us. As much as like there will be media stuff. It's just part of the Super Bowl stuff, you know, but that's -- whatever it is, I think it's an hour and a half obligation each day. You take care of it and then you get ready to play football.
That's just a part of -- you're inserting it into part of your day. You know around that stuff you still got to go out there and just be present, be where your feet are. When it's time to do the media thing, do the media thing, handle, your business, protect the team, and then you will move into football stuff and be where your felt are in that regard the. Be ready to prepare to be a really good football team and go out there and compete for a world title.
Q. Did you know Sam was coming to you all the way on that?
COOPER KUPP: No. I think I'm third or fourth in the progression there, so Sam did just a great job being able to get through it, clicking through it and throwing a ball to my front pad when he has someone in his face.
I had no idea it was coming, but, yeah, all worked out.
Q. When you decided to sign here, how far did you assess (indiscernible.) Super Bowl and what factor was that?
COOPER KUPP: Actually EJ texted me last night. He sent me the message he had sent me originally when I reached out to him. It's a reply back to what I was asking him about what it was like, what the team was like. He said we're on the cusp of competing for a Super Bowl. We're right there.
And he's like, he sent that to me again, I told you right there. And that was -- that's what we're all striving for. You try to go out there and win a world title, and it's crazy because my wife and I talked about the playoff picture in general.
There was a lot of teams that are in the playoff picture were teams that like we had talked to in some capacity or been like, man, these were teams we thought maybe we would be with in that process.
Really cool to be a part of this one and be able to build what this has become here. Yeah, it's just been an incredible blessing.
Q. Speaking of Ernest, going back to his comment about Sam after the game, how much was that a galvanizing moments for you? You haven't lost since then. For him to back Sam after his toughest game, looking back...
COOPER KUPP: Yeah, I think one of the coolest things, I mean, Ernest has been a mouthpiece for the heartbeat of what this team is. I think one of the best things he's done as a leader is be able to put words to how guys feel. I think he spoke for everyone.
Hey, whatever happened out there, whatever the result was or whatever, like we trust in Sam and what his process is, who he is as a player, a person. That's ultimately -- that process and who he is is going to get us where we want to go.
Ernest standing up at the podium and putting that to words, that's the team speaking. It's just been really cool to see how Sam -- I mean, without -- I don't think -- Sam didn't need that from us, but I think he would've been the same guy regardless. He would've continued to come out and ball out for us and get us into the right stuff and command the huddle.
So I think that was a really cool thing for Ernest being able to do that, and the way that he stood up for Sam in that moment when a lot of people outside of the building maybe wanted to think differently about it.
Q. Cooper, last night Jax said that... (regarding process.)
COOPER KUPP: Yeah, well, I mean, Jax was a great football player before I got here. He was an unbelievable football player before I got here, so just start there.
But I think one of the coolest things to see through this year, not saying it was anyone's hand in it except for just Jax being Jax, but his ability to stay present in the moment when teams are going to try to take him away.
There will be times he's on a dry spell. Again, there are points in the game you're not getting the ball thrown your way. His ability to stay in the process and trust, hey, this will be -- if you stay engaged and keep mentally in this thing, the ball will come your way and you're going to make a huge play.
That's a small micro moment in games, but week by week it's like, man, coming out here and being engaged in walk-throughs and engaged in practice, ask questions. And it's not going to be perfect. There will be days you're hurting and tired and mentally maybe you're not there.
To be able to continually come back and own the mistakes, be accountable to those things, and when it comes time on Sunday, because you've been accountable and consistent, he shows up. He shows up on Sunday ready to go.
So it's been super cool to see. Yeah, that's just the player he is.
Q. Super Bowl MVP trophy, where do you display that?
COOPER KUPP: I believe it's down in LA, so who knows. (Laughter.).
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports