Cooper Kupp on Seahawks’ Aaron Donald problem: ‘I nipped it in the bud’

The Los Angeles Rams have been loading up on defense this offseason to make a run at the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

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First, they made a big trade with Kansas City for star cornerback and former UW Huskies standout Trent McDuffie. Then they made an even bigger trade this week with Cleveland for pass rusher Myles Garrett, who broke the NFL single-season sacks record last season.

Now there are rumors that the fearsome Aaron Donald, the last person the Seahawks would probably want to see on the opposite side of the field, could rejoin the Rams and end the retirement he entered following the 2023 season.

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Luckily for the Seahawks, they have one of Donald’s former teammates on the squad. And he said he took care of it.

“I already texted him and told him he’s not allowed,” veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp joked Wednesday when he joined The Rich Eisen Show on ESPN. “I just texted Aaron and I said, ‘Don’t even think about it.’ I just left it at that, so we’re good. I’m not worried about it, because he’s not (coming out of retirement) because I told him.

“I already nipped it in the bud. Nobody has to worry.”

Well, that’s a relief.

Kupp did take a second to break from the tongue-in-cheek response to speak about the situation with the 35-year-old Donald and his relationship with the all-time great defensive tackle, who he spent seven seasons playing alongside with the Rams. That includes 2021 when they both played at a superstar level – Kupp had one of the best seasons by a wide receiver in NFL history, and Donald was a first-team All-Pro for the seventh straight year – to lead the Rams to a Super Bowl title.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen. I love Aaron,” Kupp said. “Aaron’s, gosh, he’s such a good football player. Great dude. Loved taking the field with him down there in LA. I don’t know what’s going to happen. That would be crazy (if Donald comes out of retirement). He is a very good football player and I don’t care, whatever, how old he is, how long he’s not played, whatever. Like, Aaron Donald is Aaron Donald.”

But then Kupp snapped out of it and reiterated his initial stance.

“But yeah, it doesn’t matter. Because I already told him he can’t.”

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