Kupp caps triple crown season with MVP win

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — When Cooper Kupp walked off the Super Bowl field three years ago with an injured knee that didn’t allow him to play, he said he had a vision of coming back and winning the MVP.

“It was as clear as day,” Kupp said. “I turned around before walking back through the tunnel, and it just hit me. It was as clear as I can see right now. Pretty incredible.”

Incredible describes Kupp’s play all season as he capped off his triple crown performance in fitting fashion with a Super Bowl MVP award after carrying the Los Angeles Rams on the final drive.

Kupp beat Eli Apple for the back-shoulder 1-yard touchdown catch with 1:25 remaining to give the Rams their first Super Bowl title ever in Los Angeles with a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night.

“I just don’t feel deserving of this,” Kupp said. “I’m just so thankful for the guys I get to be around, for the coaches, for my family. I just don’t have words, I’m just so thankful for everyone, everyone that’s been in my life and has encouraged me, has pushed me, has been there for me every step of the way.”

The Rams put together the game-winning drive after barely being able to move the ball in their first seven drives after Kupp’s running mate Odell Beckham Jr. went down with a knee injury. That allowed the Bengals to focus their coverage on Kupp and slow him down, but the Rams didn’t care when the game was on the line.

Kupp caught four passes for 39 yards on the game-winning drive, converted a fourth-and-1 with a 7-yard run and drew three penalties near the goal line to set the stage for his game-winning catch.