LeBron on turf? Rams’ Cooper Kupp earns high plaudits from Steelers tasked to limit him

During his weekly news conference, Mike Tomlin aimed high in finding a comparable for the star receiver of his next opponent.

Really high.

As in, Tomlin started by comparing the Los Angeles Rams’ Cooper Kupp to a pair of players who’ve combined for four NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards in T.J. Watt and Aaron Donald. But Tomlin didn’t stop there.

In referencing the prospect of double-teaming Kupp during Sunday’s game at SoFi Stadium, Tomlin evoked the name of an athlete who calls his home about 10 miles down I-110 at Crypto.com Arena.

“I’m sure game-in and game-out people put two people on LeBron in basketball,” Tomlin said, “but he’s still LeBron. And so, that’s what elite athletes do.”

Kupp might not be as internationally recognized as the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, and he still has some catching up to do to match the NFL accolades of his teammate Donald or the Steelers’ Watt. But the 30-year-old Kupp has built himself a career résumé that will earn him Hall of Fame consideration — and the status of “elite” bestowed upon him by the likes of Tomlin.

“I’ll never forget when he first got (to the NFL), he was already just an all-the-way-around receiver,” said veteran Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson, who was playing for the division rival Arizona Cardinals during Kupp’s first four NFL seasons. “The way he gets off press, the way he’s able to break tackles, the way he’s able to manipulate leverage on a defender.

“You know, he just had it all when I had an opportunity to see him in his first year with (Rams coach) Sean McVay, and then now to see what it has all come to, I’m not surprised because he’s been doing that since Day 1.”

Kupp became just the fourth player in NFL history to win the receiving “triple crown” in 2021 when he led the league in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16). He capped that season with an eight-catch, 92-yard, two-touchdown performance in that season’s Super Bowl win that earned him Super Bowl MVP.

“I can’t say enough good things about the guy,” Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “He is a top receiver in this league, and you’ve got to know where he is.”

That’s been something of an issue so far this season for the Steelers, who have allowed opposing WR1’s to often have big games against them: San Francisco’s Brandon Aiyuk (eight catches for 129 yards), Las Vegas’ Davante Adams (13 catches for 172 yards) and Houston’s Nico Collins (seven catches for 162 yards) each had two touchdown receptions against the Steelers.

Kupp missed the first four games of this season because of a hamstring injury, but he has recorded a combined 15 catches for 266 yards and a touchdown in the two games he has played since his return.

The 6-foot-2, 208-pound Kupp had at least 118 receiving yards in each game, giving him 18 games of 100-plus yards since the start of the 2021 season — second-most in the NFL in that span.

“It’s very difficult to minimize a player of his caliber,” Tomlin said.

Steelers receiver Allen Robinson II, a teammate of Kupp’s last season, came away most impressed with the preparation and football IQ that Kupp uses to excel at his craft.

“He’s a very detailed guy,” Robinson said. “How he approaches the gameplan and how he sees what defenses are trying to get accomplished and things like that, he’s very good at that. As far as, ‘This team’s playing quarters. … What this guy is responsible for, what they’re trying to do over here, what they are trying to do when they get this look.’

“He has a very good recognition to conceptually what the offense is doing — and also what they defenses are doing and trying to accomplish.”

For the Steelers, Peterson on Wednesday said he expects to most often be tasked with limiting Kupp. Kupp runs routes from all along the offense, with slightly more deployment from the slot than on the outside.

“You’re working to minimize,” Tomlin said of Kupp, “as opposed to shut out.”

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