The Facts: Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed Kupp’s knee surgery, said the receiver didn’t have as much damage as New England quarterback Tom Brady had a decade ago. “Cooper’s was pretty straight forward,” said ElAttrache, who likewise reconstructed Brady’s knee. “But any time you go through an ACL tear like that … Everyone thinks 100% of these guys come back and it’s really, quite frankly, not the case.” Kupp said he hasn’t had any setbacks and is hungrier than ever. “In one part of me, it’s the most excited I’ve ever been for a group of guys that has meant so much to me,” he said. “And another part is frustrated that I won’t be part of it as well.”

Diehards Line: A third-round pick in 2017, Kupp played in eight games this season, scored six touchdowns, and was a vital piece in the offensive puzzle — a safety valve for quarterback Jared Goff, a stout blocker and a down-the-field threat. He suffered a strained left knee when he was dragged down from behind with a horse-collar tackle at Denver on Oct. 14, and wound up missing the next two games. Returning to the field against New Orleans, he turned a short reception into a 41-yard touchdown. The next week he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee on a non-contact injury against Seattle. That ended his season. He conceded this Super Bowl is as bittersweet as he can imagine. “Going back to the first time,” he said, "your first dreams of playing in the NFL, you don’t just dream of playing in the NFL. You dream of playing in the Super Bowl. “This wasn’t exactly how I imagined my first one playing out. So in that regard it is tough … But at the same time, I’ve loved being able to contribute when I can. Being able to be around these guys, being able to sit in on meetings, and continue to feel like I can be a part of this thing even though my role isn’t the same as it was before, just helps so much to ease what is a pretty tough situation.” Kupp will be on the sideline at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, encouraging his teammates, studying plays on an electronic tablet and helping coaches when he can.