Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) runs after a catch as Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) defends during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Cooper Kupp piles on praise for new Seattle Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 12:08 PM ET

Heading into the 2025 NFL season, many were curious to see just how the Seattle Seahawks' passing game would fare with so many new pieces.

The quarterback change from Geno Smith to free agent pickup Sam Darnold would be enough intrigue on its own, but that was far from the only major move. The Seahawks also revamped their receiving corps by moving on from Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, allowing Jaxon Smith-Njigba to take the No. 1 role with newcomer Cooper Kupp as the No. 2. Additionally, the brought in a new offensive coordinator in Klint Kubiak, who would use a much more balanced scheme than his predecessor, Ryan Grubb.

There's been some good and some bad early on, but overall, the passing attack looks pretty solid through three games.

Darnold has completed over 70 percent of his passes and is coming off easily his best game of the season in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints, as he completed 14 of 18 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns. Smith-Njigba is seemingly taking the next step toward becoming one of the NFL's best wideouts and while Kupp has shown his age, has also shown flashes of his old form with the rival Los Angeles Rams.

According to Kupp, the success of the passing game all starts with Kubiak, the one calling the shots.

Cooper Kupp very pleased with Klint Kubiak, Sam Darnold

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

“Guys have made plays when it’s come up,” Kupp told The Athletic. “Klint has done a good job activating plays against some coverages that allow the ball to go over the top. We’ve had some opportunities where we’re having underneath throws and being able to run for explosives.

“There’s a mixture of both of those things. It comes back to guys just playing fast and decisive.”

Of course, Kupp shared some praise for his new quarterback as well, highlighting his ability to operate under pressure. Darnold has the second-lowest pressure-to-sack rate in the NFL, according to The Athletic.

“Sam has done a great job being able to escape,” Kupp said. “It’s a great reminder for us at receiver that we’ve got to keep playing through the down, because Sam is going to extend plays. Those become big-time plays for us, and we’ve done a good job creating explosives off of those plays. We have to continue to work that and continue to practice it as well, because it is something that does take practice, extending plays like that.

“You can’t just get away with just being a dropback passer anymore — you’ve got to be able to use your legs as a weapon,” Kupp said. “It makes it fun as a receiver and tough on a defense.”

The Seahawwks' passing game still has plenty of room to grow, and there will be more ups and downs throughout the season. However, the fact that they've started well with so many new pieces is undeniably impressive.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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