Cooper Kupp has to mute NFL commentators to explain what’s actually happening to his kids

The Seattle Seahawks are on their bye this week after earning the NFC’s top seed and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. That means Cooper Kupp will spend Wild Card Weekend at home watching six playoff games with his family instead of suiting up.

It also means Kupp will be doing some thumb exercises from his couch.

Kupp told reporters this week that he regularly mutes NFL broadcasts because the analysis doesn’t match what’s actually happening on the field. When he’s watching games with his kids, he hits the mute button and breaks down the plays himself.

“The color commentators, analysts, I mean, it’s such a hard job; so difficult,” Kupp said. “I’ve got to mute that thing sometimes. ‘Look, boys, sit down. Let me explain to what’s really happening here.’ Cris Collinsworth, I love you. Let me explain what happened here.”

Cooper Kupp will watch NFL playoff games with his boys at home on #Seahawks bye. “The color commentators?…I’ve got to mute that thing sometimes: Boys sit down. Let me explain to you what’s really happening here.

“Cris Collinsworth I love you. Let me explain what happened here.” pic.twitter.com/3gbZKlSfC5

— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) January 9, 2026

The reality is that color commentators are trying to explain complex football concepts in real time to a general audience that ranges from die-hard fans who understand pre-snap motion and coverage shells to casual viewers who just want to know who scored. That’s an impossible balance. Either you oversimplify and lose the knowledgeable fans, or you get too technical and lose everyone else.

Clearly, Kupp wouldn’t mind if they got too technical. But he also seems to just prefer doing it himself from the couch.

Funnily enough, Sports Business Journal reported this week that Peacock has been testing features letting fans control announcer volume and crowd noise during broadcasts. Perhaps Kupp is onto something.