Wednesday's NFL: Super Bowl MVP Kupp signs $80M extension; Bears violate contact rules

Thousand Oaks, Calif. – Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday after a spectacular season in which he led the NFL in every major receiving category.

The Rams announced the deal just two days after signing Aaron Donald to a massive contract extension. Kupp’s new extension is worth $80 million, bringing his total deal to $110 million when adding the two years remaining on his first extension.

Kupp had one of the greatest seasons in football history last year in his first pairing with new Rams quarterback and former Lion Matthew Stafford. Kupp led the NFL with 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns for Los Angeles, earning The Associated Press’ Offensive Player of the Year award.

Kupp’s catches and yards were both the second-highest totals in NFL history, albeit accomplished in a 17-game season. The first-time All-Pro racked up another 33 catches for 478 yards and four touchdowns in the postseason, capping the season with two TDs in the Super Bowl – including the eventual game-winning 1-yard TD catch with 1:25 to play.

MORE: Rams’ Stafford not worried about pass-free offseason

Kupp and the Rams both acknowledged their desire for a contract extension early in the offseason, but Kupp said he didn’t care about becoming the NFL’s highest-paid receiver despite his peerless statistical achievements last season. The 2017 third-round draft pick from Eastern Washington said Tuesday he wanted a deal that would allow the Rams to stay competitive.

“I really want this to be a collaboration that we work on,” Kupp said Tuesday. “That’s my goal. Something that’s great for the team, something that’s great for me and my family as well. That place exists, and it’s just getting there.”

Bears violate contact rules

The Chicago Bears had to cancel an offseason workout this week because they violated NFL rules by having live contact in a session last month, coach Matt Eberflus said Wednesday.

Eberflus said the contact that occurred was because of overzealous players and not the team’s practice structure. He said neither he nor the organization was fined, and the Bears found out Monday evening that Tuesday’s OTA session was canceled. The Bears were back on the field on Wednesday.

Eberflus, hired to replace the fired Matt Nagy, said he didn’t see losing a workout as a major issue.

“Our football team has to be able to adjust, adapt and overcome and pivot in situations,” he said. “So how we handled this situation was awesome.”

The Bears are implementing a new system after making sweeping changes in the offseason. Besides bringing in a new coach, they hired general manager Ryan Poles to replace the fired Ryan Pace after going 6-11 last season and missing the playoffs for the ninth time in 11 years.

Del Rio defends comments

An assistant coach for the NFL’s Washington Commanders issued an apology for his word choice after doubling down on a comparison he made on social media between the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and the protests in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.

Jack Del Rio, a former linebacker who now runs Washington’s defense, downplayed the deadly insurrection and questioned why the summer of 2020 protests were not receiving the same scrutiny. His comments Wednesday after an offseason practice came a day before a House committee investigating the pro-Donald Trump disruption of Congress 17 months ago begins public hearings on the matter.

“People’s livelihoods are being destroyed, businesses are being burned down, no problem,” Del Rio said. “And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, nothing burned down, and we’re going to make that a major deal. I just think it’s kind of two standards.”

Amid backlash for his comments, Del Rio released a statement on Twitter Wednesday afternoon apologizing his word choice. Del Rio said it was “irresponsible and negligent” to call the riot a “dust-up.” But he said he stood by comments “condemning violence in communities across the country.”

His comments followed a Twitter post Monday night in which he said, “Would love to understand ‘the whole story’ about why the summer of riots, looting, burning and the destruction of personal property is never discussed but this is ???” He was responding to a tweet about the Congressional hearings into Jan. 6.

Del Rio and coach Ron Rivera say they aren’t concerned if the opinion will upset Black players who make up the majority of their team, some of whom spoke out about police brutality and racism in the wake of Floyd’s killing two years ago.

“If they are (concerned) and they want to talk about it, I’d talk about it with anybody,” Del Rio said. “No problem. At any time. But they’re not. I’m just expressing myself and I think we all as Americans have a right to express ourselves, especially if you’re being respectful. I’m being respectful.”

Washington defensive back Kendall Fuller, a Black player, said he was not aware of Del Rio’s tweet. After a reporter read it to him, Fuller said: “I don’t have a reaction right now. If I have a reaction, a feeling, towards something, I’ll express that with him.”

Del Rio, 59, has posted conservative opinions to his verified Twitter account numerous times since joining Rivera’s staff in Washington in 2020.

“Anything that I ever say or write, I’d be comfortable saying or writing in front of everybody that I work with, players and coaches,” Del Rio said. “I express myself as an American. We have that ability. I love this country and I believe what I believe and I’ve said what I want to say. Every now and then, there’s some people that get offended by it.”

The remarks generated a prompt backlash from some Virginia lawmakers, who for months have been considering whether to pass legislation intended to incentivize the team to build a new stadium in the commonwealth by offering generous tax incentives. Two northern Virginia Democratic senators who had previously been enthusiastic supporters of the measure expressed concerns about Del Rio’s comments.

Jeremy McPike tweeted a clip of Del Rio speaking with the message: “Yup. Just sealed the deal to cast my vote as a NO. I think what’s burning down today is the stadium bill.” Scott Surovell predicted there would be no more “votes on stadium bills this year.”

Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw, a sponsor of the bill, said the comments were “not helpful” but talks over the legislation would continue. The measure initially cleared the state with broad Senate support, but other defectors had raised concerns even before Del Rio’s remarks.

With five years left until their current lease at FedEx Field is set to expire, the Commanders have no stadium deal in place with Virginia, Maryland or the District of Columbia.

Rivera, who hired Del Rio to run Washington’s defense without any prior relationship, said he would not discuss anything he talks with his staff about.

“Everybody’s entitled to their opinion, though,” Rivera said. “If it ever becomes an issue or a situation, we’ll have that discussion. Right now, it’s something that I will deal with when it comes up.”