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NFL Puzzle #84 recap: Xavier Worthy to Cooper Kupp

This NFL puzzle ran on Oct 25, 2026. The task was to connect Xavier Worthy to Cooper Kupp with a chain of real players. The objective: “Links must alternate between a shared team and a shared college, starting with a shared team.” Par was 3 links.

The Start: Xavier Worthy

Xavier Worthy (WR) played in the NFL from 2024 to 2026. A one-team career, spent with the Kansas City Chiefs (2024 to 2026). College: Texas. As the Start of the chain, a household name like this gives you a lot of teammates to branch from, which makes it a friendly place to begin.

The Finish: Cooper Kupp

Cooper Kupp (WR) played in the NFL from 2017 to 2026. Career stops: the Los Angeles Rams (2017 to 2024) and the Seattle Seahawks (2025 to 2026). College: Eastern Washington. Honors in the dataset: Offensive Player of the Year. As the Finish of the chain, a household name like this gives you a lot of teammates to branch from, which makes it a friendly place to begin.

Xavier Worthy and Cooper Kupp do not share a team or a college, so there is no direct link. You need at least one connector in between, and the objective decides which ones are allowed to count.

How the objective shapes the route

This was an alternating-link objective. Links have to take turns between a shared team and a shared college, in the order the objective states.

Show a 3-link solution (spoiler)

One shortest chain found by searching the full player pool, preferring the best known names at every step:

  1. Xavier Worthy (WR), the Start
  2. Tony Gonzalez (TE), linked to the previous player through Kansas City Chiefs
  3. Marshawn Lynch (RB), linked to the previous player through California
  4. Cooper Kupp (WR), linked to the previous player through Seattle Seahawks

Many other chains work. Scoring rewards lower-profile connectors, so the best-known route is rarely the highest scoring one.

Want more? Browse the full NFL puzzle archive, read the strategy guides, or see how scoring works on How to Play.