Rams’ Cooper Kupp loses to Cardinals with ankle injury

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp was forced to leave Sunday’s 41-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals early due to an ankle injury.

The Rams announced in the third quarter that he was questionable to return. He was seen with a running boot on his left leg as he left the locker room after the loss at State Farm Stadium outside Phoenix. It is unclear how serious the injury is, and Rams head coach Sean McVay didn’t have much to say after the game.

The injury is a potentially significant blow for a Rams team already without Pro Bowl wide receiver Puka Nacua, who is on the injured list and will reportedly be out for seven weeks with a PCL sprain he suffered in Week 1. Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson are the next players on the Rams’ roster.

Kupp appeared to suffer the injury in the first half of Sunday when he rolled his left ankle during a tackle. He received treatment on the sideline and eventually walked off the field with the help of an athletic trainer. The Rams did not provide further details about his injury during the game.

Kupp, a former All-Pro and the 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, was limited by injuries in each of the previous two seasons, playing in 21 of a possible 34 regular-season games in 2022 and 2023.

On Sunday, he finished with four catches for 37 yards on six targets.

Kupp was fit to start the 2024 season and thrived last week in Nacua’s absence, making 14 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown in a retrospective of his 2021 form.

The Rams, after their 26-20 loss to the Detroit Lions last week, are now 0-2 on the season. They host the San Francisco 49ers next week.