Cooper Kupp ‘Respectfully’ Disagrees with Justin Jefferson Ranking Himself Better

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Los Angeles Rams star Cooper Kupp isn’t accepting the notion that Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings is the best wide receiver in the NFL.

According to NFL.com’s Grant Gordon, Jefferson was asked recently to name the league’s top wideout, and while he mentioned Kupp, he ultimately went with himself, saying, “Coop is good, but I’ll say he’s behind me.”

Not surprisingly, Kupp has countered with a take of his own, and it doesn’t match Jefferson’s, as he said, “I respect his opinion and I can also respectfully disagree.”

Kupp praised Jefferson’s confidence while also suggesting that he would give himself the nod when it comes to determining the NFL’s best wide receiver:

“I would hope he would say that. I think that’s the beauty of this game. I think it speaks to the competitiveness of this league. If you’re not putting yourself as the best and you’re not working to be the best, then I’d be concerned about stepping on the field with you if you don’t feel like you’ve prepared to be the best player that you can be.”

It is difficult to argue with Kupp’s assessment given that he is coming off one of the greatest seasons by a wideout in NFL history.

He led the league in receptions (145), receiving yardage (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16) en route to being named a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro for the first time, plus he won the Offensive Player of the Year award and finished third in MVP voting.

Additionally, Kupp was dominant during the Rams’ playoff run, racking up 33 catches for 478 yards and six touchdowns in four games and winning the Super Bowl MVP award.

While Kupp was spectacular last season, Jefferson’s career is off to a historic start, as his 3,016 receiving yards through his first two NFL campaigns are the most by any player in NFL history.

Last season, Jefferson finished with 108 receptions for 1,616 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro nods.

Jefferson is perhaps the more dynamic player downfield, while Kupp is more versatile and able to burn defenders anywhere on the field.

The biggest difference between Kupp and Jefferson may be team success, as the Rams won the Super Bowl last season, while the Vikes haven’t yet made the playoffs with Jefferson on the roster.

Regardless of how they should be ranked, all signs point toward Kupp (29 years old) and Jefferson (23) being two of the NFL’s best wideouts for years to come.