Cooper Kupp is headed to his second Super Bowl, set to be played between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers could have used additional help at wide receiver this season amid the ongoing drama surrounding Brandon Aiyuk and injuries that impacted Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings.
On their path to Super Bowl LX, the Seahawks eliminated Kupp’s former team, the Los Angeles Rams. Following the 2024 season, a report from Mike Silver of The Athletic indicated the Rams encouraged Kupp to retire rather than restructure his contract and may have even discouraged other teams from offering him more than the league minimum due to concerns about a decline in play. Los Angeles ultimately released the veteran wide receiver.
That context raises a natural question: why didn’t the 49ers make a push to sign a former NFC West rival?
Silver addressed the topic Tuesday during an appearance on Bay Area radio station KNBR, offering speculation on San Francisco’s thinking.
“Maybe they believed the whispers more than the Seahawks,” Silver said.
While the comment was made somewhat in jest, there may be some truth to it. Kupp has dealt with injuries in each of the past three seasons, which could have given the 49ers pause about committing significant financial resources to a 32-year-old receiver. Additionally, San Francisco had already invested heavily in Aiyuk, hoping he would return in 2025. In hindsight, that proved to be a significant mistake.
Kupp went on to sign a three-year, $45 million contract with Seattle and is now one win away from another Super Bowl ring. He made an impact this postseason, totaling nine receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown in two playoff games—one of which came against San Francisco. Kupp played a key role in Seattle’s NFC Championship victory over the Rams.
With Aiyuk likely on his way out and Jennings set to become a free agent, the 49ers remain in need of help at wide receiver. Many around the league expect San Francisco to address the position through a trade, free agency, or the 2026 NFL Draft.