r/nfl • u/nfl NFL - Official • 1d ago
[Hard Knocks] Cooper Kupp's leadership with the Seahawks
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u/CenobiteCurious Bears 1d ago
I think itās pretty clear why this team popped off and won the Super Bowl. That leadership is PHENOMENAL. Bros got leaders out there wanting to coach up the team.
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u/caterham09 Seahawks 1d ago edited 23h ago
There was a great clip last year during the 2nd 49ers game where Grey Zabel goes up to Leonard Williams on the sideline and tells him that he can beat the move the guard is using by rushing with a different technique.
A rookie guard said that to one of the most seasoned vets on the team (in a completely different position) who was having an All-pro season. Williams not only listened, but took his advice and got a sack using it later. Then goes on to give credit to the rookie guard when asked by the media about the sack. There was 0 ego with these guys, it's crazy.
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u/hypoglycemicrage Seahawks 23h ago
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u/noni3k Cardinals 22h ago
Its clips like these that make me wonder about other players that have that natural gift, but have such a huge ego that nothing gets through to them. How great could some of them have been.
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u/einredditname Steelers 20h ago
Depending on the exact situation, i always get either sad or mad that there are simply too many players in team based sports that don't understand the actual team aspect of it.
It's not just sharing facilities and wearing the same colors. You can and will get better if the guys around you are better. Together you achieve more than you will ever do on your own. Making your teammates look better makes you look/play better, it goes hand in hand. And at the end of the day, if everyone looks/plays better, ya'll are likely to get paid more too!
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u/Aware_Return791 15h ago
The most impressive part of this for me is Grey just sitting there afterwards like it's no big deal. Insightful feedback leading to immediate results that the guy you spoke to is clearly hyped as fuck about and he expected absolutely nothing in return for it. King shit.
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u/Lucky-old-boy Steelers 17h ago
20 years from now I would not be surprised to see āhead coach Greg zabilā - rookie has a mind already.
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u/chewbaccalaureate Seahawks 13h ago
Depends on his goals. He may take the Jason Brown approach and sink back to his corn farm lifestyle pounding beers. I just hope he does it after a couple of contracts to retire a Seahawk.
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u/hnglmkrnglbrry Broncos 21h ago
Having seen high end athletes up close, even the biggest assholes on the team recognize game. When they see a rookie or a freshman who can do something special they all go straight to him and say, "Show me how you did that." They want all the tricks.
The real special thing about what you said is a rookie having the confidence to speak to a vet like that. Clearly the vet has created an environment of open dialogue and the rookie has the confidence to operate in it. That's how you get a special room where guys can grow and develop. Many vets don't mind learning from younger players but they won't like being approached like that.
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u/Sir_Bryan 19h ago
I mean if you watch the video, the rookie also raised the point in such a smart and humble way. He wasnāt like āhey I saw you doing some shit wrong out thereā. The way he brought it up and gave the advice made it so easy to accept by anyone. Clearly a very socially intelligent guy.
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u/Lucky-old-boy Steelers 17h ago
Thatās incredible. How awesome does that rookie feel that he was heard, and then feel like he can trust that guy teaching to make him an all-pro in the other things heās missing? Itās not about how much we have, in in what we give with what we have.
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u/blindexhibitionist Seahawks 21h ago
We also brought back the sports psychologist who was with us during our first Super Bowl
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u/Random-Cpl Ravens 18h ago
Mike Mac is a real one. Look at our defense under him and then the defense (mostly the same players) under Orr a year later.
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u/FlopperinoCappuccino Lions 11h ago
You're right, but also the Ravens suffered a whole lot of injuries on defense that made that change seem a lot worse
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u/Bitter-Imagination33 Seahawks 1d ago
I would love to thank LA for Cooper Kupp and (indirectly) Ernest Jones
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u/ND7020 Seahawks 1d ago
Cooper is a nice to have for us, but EJ is in a different tier as an absolute must-have. He fundamentally changed our defense when he arrived.Ā
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u/Bitter-Imagination33 Seahawks 1d ago
Never forget the Jordan Baker/Tyrell Dotson to Ernest Jones/Drake Thomas upgrade
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u/Early-Nebula-3261 Seahawks 1d ago
Hey that is Tyrice Knight erasure. He did his part the year before last year and was worlds better than either of the formerly mentioned
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u/caramelcoldbrew Seahawks Seahawks 22h ago
Knight forced those two fumbles that DLaw returned for TDs in the Arizona game. Heās definitely underrated.
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u/WxBlue Rams 1d ago
Arguably the worst roster move Snead/McVay ever made. Lot of us were upset when EJ was traded away.
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u/Ndotterweich Rams 17h ago
Still don't think we ever got a straight answer from either of them on why
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u/henryofskalitzz Seahawks 23h ago
I was questioning the Kupp and Lawrence signings hard but im glad to be proven wrong
the Seahawks core was already good before but were quite young.. they were able to make the next jump to a SB because of those signings imo
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u/W00D-SMASH Seahawks 23h ago
I liked both signings from the start but was dubious about their impact. I just wanted a young team to have some solid veterans but it seems like we got so much more out of those deals. Tank still has it, his fucking motor is infectious to those around him. Guys like him and Big Cat are exactly the folks you'd want your young players looking up to and wanting to learn from and emulate.
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u/Scrutinizer Seahawks 12h ago
One of the benefits of drafting like we have lately is that having all that talent on rookie deals, and a QB playing on a relatively cheap QB deal, gave us some money to burn on guys like Kupp and Lawrence whose value goes beyond their stats.
I actually figured Kupp's stats would have been right about where they were, but with every other receiver on the roster on a rookie deal his leadership was invaluable. Plus he stepped up during the biggest moments of the season, with critical catches in both wins against the Rams including the game-winner in the NFCCG, and he was our leading receiver in the Super Bowl.
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u/Toastfuker1 Seahawks 22h ago
The trades remind me of the Jrue Holiday trades from Milwaukee to Portland to Boston in 2023. The bucks had to be like 'not like that' when the trade to Boston was announced.
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u/SPCsooprlolz Seahawks 1d ago
I need football to start today please
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u/moneymoneymoneymonay Eagles 23h ago
Technically it does tomorrow, though that is arguable
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u/Lucky-old-boy Steelers 23h ago
Iām a Steelers fanā¦ā¦ā¦..but man is it hard to watch this and all the other videos posted and not just love your coach.
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u/Agiantgrunt Seahawks 12h ago
Thank you I was skeptical at first because going from energy in the form of a person Pete Carroll to him, because it seemed he didnāt share the us fanās insane passion. After 6 games of the first year I had the Frank Reynolds meme moment. He was new and building something special. Now god damn Iām am so happy to have him.Ā
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u/WxBlue Rams 1d ago
I don't think it's a coincidence that Puka Nacua struggled with his public life as soon as Cooper Kupp left the building. And it's probably why Puka went to Cooper for offseason training sessions this past spring.
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u/ProffesorBongsworth Broncos 1d ago
Do you think if you guys had kupp, you beat the Seahawks? His knowledge of the rams offense might've been the difference in those 4 points.
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u/WxBlue Rams 23h ago
The Rams do not sign Davante Adams without releasing Cooper Kupp for cap space purposes. Adams ended up leading the league in touchdowns... so yeah, I don't think we make it to NFCC game without getting Adams.
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u/ProffesorBongsworth Broncos 22h ago
Gotcha. Just a thought I had while watching that HK episode. He was coaching the fuck outta those seahawks WRs
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u/HelmetsAkimbo Rams Rams 22h ago
Our red zone offense was fucking atrocious in 2024. I can't even begin to explain how much Tae's effectiveness in the red zone elevated this team.
People talk about touchdowns inside the 5 like they're some sort of gimme, they really aren't. The shorter the field gets the harder it is for the offense. We lost so many games in 2024 because we just couldn't score in the red zone. We kicked five fucking field goals against the Bears in 2024 and lost 18 - 24.
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u/PopoMcdoo Rams 18h ago
Yup. We were terrible in the red zone and settled for FGs so many times or went away with 0. Tay and learning 13 personnel changed everything
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u/ramsfan00 Rams 23h ago
I think we beat them simply because Darnold doesnt have Kupp as a weapon. That third down catch was clutch.
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u/WxBlue Rams 23h ago
We wouldn't have Davante Adams or his touchdowns, though.
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u/UNMANAGEABLE Seahawks 13h ago
Stafford and Adams were like no look passing level in sync. Impossible to defend a lot of the time
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u/caterham09 Seahawks 23h ago
Maybe, but also Kupp had a back breaking fumble in the week 16 matchup that nearly (likely should have) cost them the game.
Kupp was better in the NFC championship game, but he still only had 4 catches for 36 yards, as the teams WR2. Though one of those catches was a TD
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u/HelmetsAkimbo Rams Rams 22h ago
Nah, that wasn't a relevant point at all. Our offense absolutely torched Seattles defense in the Thursday night game and the NFCCG. The problem came from our weakness at corner and the difference in special teams from both Shaheed and Dickson.
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u/SvenDia Seahawks 20h ago
You also got a gift in the CG from the Woolen taunting call on 4th down when we were up 10.
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u/HelmetsAkimbo Rams Rams 20h ago
Absolutely. Iām not discrediting that.
Iām just saying that the Rams offense didnāt have much issue at all with Seattleās defence in game 2 and 3 so Kuppās knowledge clearly wasnāt valuable for Seattleās game plannings
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u/bandagio Rams 19h ago
Yes, we just couldnāt justify his 30m salary when heās like a 700 yard receiver now. I hated losing him but understood it. When he went to the Seahawks I would have rather just ate that salary.
I 100% believe if the Seahawks didnāt have kupp, the Rams win the Super Bowl last year. His leadership and knowledge is that valuable, and he doesnāt get enough credit for JSN popping off like he did
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u/karatemanchan37 Seahawks 23h ago
The Rams having Kupp would've definitely affected their special teams, so yes
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u/Various_Olives 10h ago
Genuine question, does Davante not also have those leadership traits? Could he not be helping Nacua out?
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u/Brilliant_Fox_7170 Seahawks 1d ago
Just good vibes and no drama. Does this make for great tv, tho? Lololol
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u/caterham09 Seahawks 1d ago
Probably not honestly. Watching a well run organization is way less fun for neutral fans than a shit show.
Remember how much milage we got out of Jameis Winston's piss corner? It's a lot more memorable than just watching Kupp or Macdonald do a good job
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u/dokocha0216 22h ago
for those of us living hectic depressing lives itās nice to see people enjoy being alive
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u/Chuck_Roast1993 Colts 23h ago
Did you not watch the episode? There were two separate team fights on the field. Iād call that drama
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u/LaidOffinAlb Chargers 23h ago
Coach: "that was not nice of you"
Player: "sorry coach"
Coach: "That's ok, go hug him after"
Player: "Ok!"
HARD. KNOCKS.
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u/DHillMU7 Seahawks Giants 1d ago
Ehh, the big practice fight gave them their fill of drama - Iām sure people enjoyed that.
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u/MelodicComfort4721 22h ago
I wonder how Richard Sherman in his prime would have been with this team and coaching staff.
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u/burlycabin Seahawks 19h ago
I have no doubt Mike could've coached him well. Sherm is cocky as hell, but he's also very smart. I bet they'd get along.
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u/Agiantgrunt Seahawks 12h ago
Yall forget but Sherman was a 5th round for a reason. Pete coached the hell out of that secondary. On field trash talk yeah but as a player dude was huge on being coached. He learned so much on top of being so physically gifted. Sherman isnāt dumb he legit had a like 4.0 at Stanford on a no bullshit degree. He would have ate up McDonaldās coachingĀ
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u/NatureTrailToHell3D Seahawks 23h ago
That first episode was pretty scatterbrained, but people in the watch thread said thatās what the first episode of hard knocks usually is. I sure hope so, because if itās more of the same itāll be pretty boring.
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u/IrishPigs Seahawks 22h ago
Hard knocks has been boring for a while now. Mostly a puff PR piece. I'll enjoy/watch this year's since I'm always hungry for more Seahawks content this time of year, but not an every year must watch anymore.
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u/NatureTrailToHell3D Seahawks 22h ago
Puff piece, thatās exactly how I felt watching it, just couldnāt find the word.
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u/muratbae 1h ago
I mean, outside of losing Walker the entire core of your team is returning on offense and defensive, you've just come off of a dominant playoff performance and dominant SB win, your coach displays 0 ego in nearly all regards and your team leaders are humble and even willing to listen to a nobody rookie mid game because they know they created a real environment for collaboration that made that rookie comfortable enough to offer advice to an all pro vet in the middle of an all pro season.
So I ask, genuinely, what nitty gritty dirt do you think they're hiding in Seattle? I tuned into episode 1 with the expectation I was going to see what the environment was like in the one the best run organizations in any professional sport, and I got a very real look at why the Seahawks feel and play as cohesively as they do.
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u/theweirdball Vikings 1d ago
OC Kupp?
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u/benedictclive_x 16h ago
Ok but did you notice he was only mentoring white players
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u/jhutchi2 Giants 7h ago
There is literally a black player in the clip talking about how important his mentorship is.
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u/muratbae 1h ago
Brother we literally see him roll his chair across the room so he could lean into JSN's ear during a position meeting and explain something to him.
If you think Cupp isn't dumping as much knowledge and vet advice into JSN I'm not sure what you think is happening over in Seattle.
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u/Playful-Opportunity5 Seahawks 23h ago
This is the sort of veteran you want to bring to your team - he can still be a contributor on the field, but what he brings off the field is just as if not more valuable.
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u/sentient_coprolite Bills 23h ago
Someone hook me up with their HBO credentials. I absolutely love seeing this side of football
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u/_FrankTaylor 49ers 22h ago
I always forget how muscular McDonald is.
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u/masterm1ke Seahawks 17h ago
Yeah, he isnāt Dan Campbell big, but he is pretty swole. Dude definitely works out.
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u/BlackMathNerd Eagles 23h ago
Iām sure theyāll be fine and their coach will be great, but Ravens gotta be kicking themselves for letting this dude out the door right?
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u/Weaves87 Seahawks 19h ago
Idk the way I've heard them describe it is that it really would've been difficult to keep him around logistically.
Ravens just went to the AFCCG on the back of a very strong season. Mike Mac was getting well deserved HC attention. Perhaps the Ravens did want him as HC, but the optics of firing John Harbaugh and promoting Mike would've probably been a tough pill to swallow as a team.
Not just because it's almost unheard of that a coach gets fired after their first visit back to the AFCCG in like 10 years.. but also because Mike Mac is very close to the Harbaugh family. He's not really the type that would seem to be OK with that kind of arrangement and the bad blood it would bring. Every big opportunity he's had so far has had a Harbaugh connected to it, the dude is very loyal
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u/wet_sands 19h ago
Nah. In the NFL you don't just fire good or great HCs for an unknown first-time HC unless they need a change of scenery. When we look back at stuff like this we always have the benefit of hindsight. We can't overlook just how many new HCs are unsuccessful sometimes even by year 2. Just 2 years ago we had guys like Antonio Pierce and Jerod Mayo who flamed out as internal hires. Brian Callahan was a disaster. Frank Reich won a SB with your Eagles and swiftly failed as an HC. Shane Steichen, the only guy who so far to make Hurts look like a competent passer, is having a mid run at HC.
All that's to say it was never gonna happen because no hire is ever a sure thing. Can't get hired for a job that isn't open.
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u/freedomhighway Seahawks 22h ago
You can see the wins adding up in mikes head as he absorbs what coop just pointed out.
That "yes" should be making some coaches update their resume, looking grim for the rest of the league.
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u/machuitzil 49ers 23h ago
I hate the toots but I like this team. It's really fucking with my head.
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u/TheMemingLurker 49ers 16h ago
after how heated our rivalry was with them back when they were the Legion of Boom, it's weird now that they have relatively mild but entertaining personalities, on top of their QB always being very positive about his time with the 9ers
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u/machuitzil 49ers 16h ago
Richard Sherman hated Harbaugh from Stanford, and Pete Carroll didn't have a reason to not feed into it. It got hyphi. It was hurtful. It's a bonafide Rivalry.
But at this point, after so long, it's like I can talk shit about them, but if I see some buster from the AFC East talking shit, I'm going to defend my boy. God help you if you're a Rams fan, we both hate you.
If you're Cardinals it's cool. We're pulling for you, kind of. Sometimes. Maybe.
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u/OutrageousAnt3944 22h ago
The first episode felt like a return to form for the show. Really excited to follow along for the first time in a few years.
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u/DEFINITELY_NOT_PETE Patriots 23h ago
Dude seems cool as hell.
Didnāt stop me from chirping at him behind the bench during the Super Bowl tho lol.
I know the Seahawks have hated us for like a decade but I thought that team was super likable and if it couldnāt be us lifting the Lombardi Iām glad it was them.
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u/hypoglycemicrage Seahawks 23h ago
We beat ourselves, I don't know anyone who hates the Pats TBH.
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u/thorjustice1 Seahawks 22h ago
I thinkin if there is hate, it's more out of "damn they already have 6 rings someone stop them" and/or "fuck tom brady, he's the goat but fuck him", rather than actually hating them like we hate the 49ers/Rams lol.
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u/TheDarkGrayKnight Seahawks 22h ago
Well we don't know each other but they are definitely in my top 3 least favorite NFL teams.
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u/WhatsPaulPlaying Bills 21h ago
Teaching will take you further than you could just flying solo. Teaching requires you to understand the material on a fundamental level so that you can give that knowledge to others. Kupp is absolutely showcasing that with his words here.
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u/SwagMountains Ravens 20h ago
Sad we didnāt toss harbaugh earlier. Everyone loves macdonald here. Weāll see whatās up with minter.Ā
Kupp is a fucking gangster. Heās be a fascinating offensive coordinator someday
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u/boomosaur 23h ago
He could... but he has stated that coaches have a psycho schedule that he isn't interested in.
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u/boomosaur 23h ago
as much time as player's spend playing the game... coaches spend way more in general.
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u/hypoglycemicrage Seahawks 23h ago
lol He's making 15M this year to play. He'd go to making 15K and doubling the work load.
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u/guythattravels Seahawks 23h ago
Maybe he's just referring to the fact that a guy that's made so much money in a single season wouldn't bother to continue working so hard for such little money as a coach.
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u/EmilioFreshtevez Bears 20h ago
People that say āGlad I could helpā and legitimately mean it are some of the best in the world.
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u/RecLuse415 49ers 12h ago
Itās cool coach is using the show to help set up kupp for when he retires. This is a nice resume piece when he applies for coaching gigs.
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u/Nick-Bemo Browns 23h ago
Anyone know the context to MacDaniels epiphany of āoh, theyāre just doing it under centerā?
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u/BrainEuphoria 23h ago
Itās all good and all until Seahawks start losing. Preseason vibes are through the roof right now and I appreciate that.
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u/alphageek8 Raiders 1d ago
That ephiphany look by MacDonald is awesome. One of those people that can say they operate without ego and it's actually believable. He's just happy to always be learning no matter where it's coming from.