Wide receiver Cooper Kupp will have a new but recognizable number on his new Rams uniforms this season. After wearing 18 through his first three years in the NFL, he's switching back to 10, worn during his collegiate career at Eastern Washington.
In a statement posted on his personal Twitter account explaining the meaning behind 10, Kupp said when he was in high school, his coach gave him the number 1 because he earned it. Although he didn't like the idea of it, he did so anyway out of respect for his coach. It became part of his story as the number in which he earned the chance to play at the college level. Similarly, he chose 10 once he got to Eastern Washington as a reminder of that work ethic.
When he joined the Rams in 2017, the number 10 – "his true number," he said – was unavailable, so he wore Roman Gabriel's 18.
Recognizing the number of fans who made major investments over the last three years buying his old number 18 jersey, Kupp came up with a unique way of repurposing them.
Any fan who purchased his old jersey from Jan. 1 through May 10 from the NFL Shop or Rams Shop and sends proof of purchase will be sent back an address for them to mail their old Kupp jersey to. Once the jersey is received, it will be upcycled via the clothing company Refried Apparel into a custom-made garment designed by Kupp and his wife, Anna.
"There is little that compares to how appreciative I am of the support and love that Rams Nation has shown my family and me, and I hope this small token shows just how much your support has meant to us," Kupp said in the statement. "So, thank you and let's make the future even brighter than the past. Go Rams and God Bless."
