RENTON, Wash. — Cooper Kupp attended one Seahawks game as a kid while growing up about 140 miles southeast of Seattle in Yakima. It was a 2006 win over the Green Bay Packers on a snowy Monday night at what was then called Qwest Field.

The 13-year-old grade-schooler got to miss class the next day.

“I was up in the very top, frozen as an icicle up there,” Kupp recalled. “… I have memories of being there, being part of that environment, and it’s such a cool thing. That was a special thing growing up, to be able to go to a Seahawks game. A very special memory.”

That’s why Kupp, 31, referred to it as a “full-circle moment” as he was introduced at Seahawks headquarters Tuesday. Released by the Los Angeles Rams earlier this month, the ninth-year receiver became part of their NFC West rival’s massive offseason roster shuffle when he agreed to a three-year deal with Seattle last week.

“It’s a really cool thing,” Kupp said. “It’s something that I don’t take lightly. I’m just really excited to be able to be a part of this program, what this program’s been about and continuing to move it forward.”

The feel-good vibes of Kupp’s homecoming were on full display during his 25-minute news conference at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. He even wore a Pearl Jam T-shirt with cartoon depictions of frontman Eddie Vedder and the Seattle grunge band’s other members.

“Send that to Eddie,” he joked while showing off the shirt to cameras.

But as excited as Kupp is about his homecoming, he also has had to process some strong emotions over his departure from the Rams.

“It’s been difficult,” he said. “In all honesty, it’s been very difficult and frustrating. There’s been lots of questions and things. It’s a real tough situation. I’ve said, I always imagined that I’d finish my career there, but that’s not the plan that God had for me and my family. Stepping into this new adventure, this new place, this new chapter in my career but also in our lives as my wife and I navigate moving back up home to our home state, I think that’s something that we’re excited about facing. We’re excited about the community that we get to be a part of, the people that are going to be a part of our lives.

“But yeah, it has been difficult. Without a doubt, it has been difficult. We’re humans, we’re real people.”

Kupp spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Rams, going from a third-round pick out of Eastern Washington to a centerpiece of Sean McVay’s offense. He won the NFL’s receiving triple crown in 2021 — finishing with a league-high 145 catches 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns — before being named MVP of Super Bowl LVI.

Injuries have limited Kupp to 33 games since that 2021 season. He has averaged 753 yards and just under six touchdowns in that span.

After being told that the Rams would try to trade him, Kupp said in early February that he disagreed with the decision. He was released on the first day of free agency last week after Los Angeles failed to find a trade partner.

“I’m sure they have their reasons for why they wanted to do things, whatever it is,” he said. “Not a ton of clarity in that regard, but at the end of the day, I’m thankful to be able to walk away from that organization and be able to look back on all those memories, all those experiences, all those things that we were able to go through together, the relationships that we had with so many people there, and look at it in a positive light and be very thankful for my time in Los Angeles. It’s something that we will always cherish.”

Kupp shot down the idea that he’s motivated to disprove doubts about his age and recent injury history.

“It’s never been about proving people wrong,” he said. “I’ve lived in that space and it never goes well. It’s been about being who I am, believing in myself and knowing that I can be who I see myself becoming. When I’ve taken that attitude, when I’ve taken that mindset, that’s when I’ve always been at my best. I’ll continue that. I know how to navigate these waters. I’ve been here before. It’s not about the negative energy of trying to prove anyone else wrong, trying to make anyone else feel bad about anything. It’s just about being myself and trying to be who I believe I can be and going out there and playing the game I love.”

The Seahawks, looking for help at receiver after trading DK Metcalf and releasing Tyler Lockett, moved quickly to express their interest in Kupp after his release. General manager John Schneider, head coach Mike Macdonald and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak all struck the right notes, he said, as they conveyed their vision of how to build a championship team.

Kupp agreed to his deal on Friday. He has since gotten outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu to give up No. 10 in exchange for a donation to Nwosu’s charity. Kupp wore No. 10 at Eastern Washington and with the Rams.

Kupp will now get to face his former team twice a year, though he said that wasn’t a factor in signing with the Seahawks.

“I am looking forward to it,” he said. “That didn’t play into the decision to come here, but it’s a nice little thing on the side to be able to go against those guys. I know a lot of those guys. So much respect for the coaching staff, the way they handle things down there, the players down there. I am excited about it, though. It’s going to be a really cool thing.

“When that time comes, it will just be football at that point. But I am looking forward to it.”