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Rams News: Andrew Whitworth Gives Insight Into How Bad Matthew Stafford’s Elbow Injury Was Last Season

Matthew Stafford, Rams

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford followed up his Super Bowl championship with an injury-riddled campaign that only saw him play nine games and have just 10 touchdowns compared with eight interceptions. Much of the blame for his struggles went to the offensive line, who had lost Andrew Whitworth to retirement in the offseason prior.

But now, as the Rams prepare for the 2023 season, it seems that Stafford is ready to return as the full-time starter and attempt to bring a young but intriguing Rams team to the postseason after a disappointing Super Bowl defense.

To this day, there haven’t been many details regarding Stafford’s elbow injury that had him hampered from Day 1 last season. However, Whitworth dove into some of the specifics as well as some of the reasons Stafford opted to keep things quiet.

He spoke about Stafford’s injury and his preparation for 2023 on the Rich Eisen Show:

“I think people really don’t understand because he is such a private guy and somebody that would never complain or even ever let you know when he’s going through something. Last year was a really, really tough year. It’s unfortunate he wasn’t on the ‘Quarterback’ series that just came out because it would’ve crazy for people to see just how intense his arm issues and things that were bothering him.”

Whitworth continued and spoke about how Stafford’s training camp was affected last season by not being able to throw with his guys:

“He’s a private guy but I mean, to not throw a football with your guys the entire offseason basically. And then to get into camp and be like, ‘Hey, you can only throw so many balls a day and only so many times a week. To really have zero opportunities as a quarterback to throw passes to receivers and then walk into an NFL game and say, ‘All right, I’m gonna go out here and perform.’ One, you know that your arm is obviously not in a great place in how it’s feeling. And two, just having that ability to throw passes in practice and work at your craft. And that’s what every quarterback does. You see them after practice constantly working on certain things. To not have the ability to do that, man, just the mental state he had to be in of struggling. Like, ‘Hey, I want to go out here and perform. I want to live up to the expectations, but right now, I’m in a situation I can’t.’”

Stafford has fought through a number of significant injuries over the course of his career, so there was no doubt he was going to try to play despite his elbow not being 100%. Prior to last season, Stafford had missed a game in just three of 13 campaigns.

Stafford is healthy now though and looking to get back on track during training camp to help the 2023 Rams get back to where they’d like to be.

Cooper Kupp discusses chemistry building with Stafford

Even though Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is currently shelved with an injury and his relationship with Stafford is established, the two have continued to work on their chemistry during 2023 training camp.

“So for us it’s like, hey, we know that we’ve got this natural chemistry about how we do things, but man, how much better can we be if we really are honing this thing in, if we’re seeing the field the same way? It’s one thing to run routes on air, it’s another thing to see the field and go see it from his perspective, my perspective, put those things together and be in the right spots at the right time. As we can get that stuff going, keep building on that, that’s when things get really dangerous.”

Rams News: Rob Havenstein Looking To Follow In Andrew Whitworth’s Footsteps As Leader Of Offensive Line

The Los Angeles Rams have nearly as much talent and experience on their roster this year compared to last season’s team that went on to win Super Bowl LVI, positioning themselves well to repeat.

However, one major change is on the offensive line as Andrew Whitworth decided to ride off into the sunset after capturing his first Super Bowl title. His presence on the left side of the line will be sorely missed, but it’s perhaps his leadership the Rams will miss the most.

Rob Havenstein was tapped to become the new leader along the o-line when he was named a first-time team captain, but he is still looking at Whitworth as a model on how to lead, via Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:

“He spoke when necessary, he spoke when needed. He had an uncanny ability for that,” Havenstein said. “He really led by example. He went out there and just did it first. You could never say, ‘Hey, I’m out-working Andrew right now,’ you know? That’s something I hope I’m bringing right now.”

As the elder statesman on for the offensive line, Havenstein has taken it upon himself to help and mentor the younger players in the group:

“I feel like I at least somewhat know what I’m talking about now,” Havenstein said with a smile. “So if I see a young guy making the same mistakes I’ve made or I’ve seen before, it’s just easier to go ahead and address that. Maybe it’s showing them how it’s done, but it’s more talking through it and how I understand certain things and certain body positions for offensive linemen, specifically.”

Losing a player and leader of Whitworth’s caliber would be a blow for any team, but fortunately the Rams have someone like Havenstein who was ready to assume more responsibility on the team. Los Angeles has fostered a healthy and productive team culture, and Havenstein is just one example of that concept coming to life.

Rams News: Andrew Whitworth Criticizes NFL Top 100 Voting

The NFL has begun releasing its annual top 100 players rankings, with Nos. 100-51 revealed as of Aug. 19. No Los Angeles Rams players have made the list so far, but that is sure to change when the top half gets unveiled within the next week.

Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, Jalen Ramsey and perhaps Matthew Stafford are locks to be included in the top 50. The rankings are compiled by NFL players, who cast their votes during the offseason.

However, there is some doubt as to whether every NFL player actually participates in the annual NFL Top 100 rankings.

Former Rams All-Pro tackle Andrew Whitworth criticized the voting process on Twitter and confirmed that not every NFL player has a say in the rankings:

Whitworth’s comment was in response to one player voting for Ja’Marr Chase twice, and placing Trevon Diggs ahead of Donald, Ramsey, Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill.

After spending the final five seasons of his career with the Rams, Whitworth has transitioned to broadcasting. He made his debut in the booth last week for the Rams’ preseason game against the L.A. Chargers.

Whitworth said he wanted to remain involved in football after his playing days were over, and the broadcast booth seems like a natural fit for him. Aside from preseason, he will also be a part of Amazon’s Thursday Night Football crew.

Rams News: Andrew Whitworth To Join Broadcast Booth For Preseason

The Los Angeles Rams are well-positioned to defend their Super Bowl title, but the first couple of weeks will be worth monitoring as they integrate new pieces in key positions.

For example, the Rams lost stalwart left tackle Andrew Whitworth to retirement. Win or lose, Whitworth seemed destined to leave the game of football following Super Bowl LVI so it was no surprise when he officially announced he was walking away for good.

However, Whitworth has been seen around Rams training camp giving pointers to the young lineman on the roster and he’ll continue to be present around the organization as he’s slated to serve as a color analyst during their preseason slate, via Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network:

Siciliano and ESPN’s Mina Kimes have previously called games for Los Angeles, but adding Whitworth adds a level of expertise and insight that should be welcomed in the booth. Whitworth’s time and familiarity with the team should give fans a better feel for what’s happening on the feel and add to the overall experience of the game.

The former All-Pro tackle said he wanted to remain involved in football after his playing days were over, and the broadcast booth seems like a natural fit for him. Aside from preseason, Whitworth will also be a part of Amazon’s Thursday Night Football crew.

The Rams have three preseason games before the season opener, starting with the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 13. They take on the Houston Texans on Aug. 19 and close out the preseason with a Super Bowl LVI rematch against the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 27.

Rams Rumors: Aqib Talib & Andrew Whitworth Joining Amazon NFL Coverage

Beginning with the 2022 NFL season, Amazon will stream “Thursday Night Football” exclusively on Prime Video. The games will be called by Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit.

Amazon has begun assembling its studio team, reportedly adding Charissa Thompson as host and Tony Gonzalez, Richard Sherman and Ryan Fitzpatrick as analysts. Marshawn Lynch also is expected to join the staff in some capacity.

With a star-studded cast already in place, Amazon has continued adding notable NFL players to its coverage. According to Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post, former Los Angeles Rams stars Aqib Talib and Andrew Whitworth will have a role as well:

Amazon is adding two more former NFL stars to Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” coverage.

Aqib Talib and Andrew Whitworth are expected to be part of the studio team, The Post has learned. Both are former All-Pros at their respective positions, cornerback and offensive tackle, and both are Super Bowl champions.

Talib and Whitworth aren’t expected to be traditional analysts, and instead will contribute in other ways for Amazon’s Thursday Night Football coverage:

A source said that Talib and Whitworth won’t be desk analysts, but rather will contribute elsewhere on Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football” studio programming, and other ancillary NFL content.

Talib enjoyed a 12-year NFL career, which included a stop with the Rams from 2018-19. In his two seasons with the team, the five-time Pro Bowler accumulated one interception and seven passes defended across 13 games.

Whitworth played 16 seasons in the NFL, including five with the Rams, earning four Pro Bowl nods, two All-Pro selections and a Super Bowl title. He retired earlier this offseason and expressed a desire to remain in football in some capacity.

Andrew Whitworth Says ‘Never Say Never’ When Asked About A Potential Return To Rams

The Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams have to feel good about their prospects of repeating during the 2022 season after its successful offseason.

Despite trading away Robert Woods and losing Von Miller, the Rams were able to rebound by signing Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner. Los Angeles also managed to work out an extension for Matthew Stafford, with Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp likely to follow at some point this offseason.

One area of focus for the Rams in free agency was to shore up their offensive line as they came to agreements with Joseph Noteboom, Brian Allen and Coleman Shelton. Los Angeles also selected Logan Bruss in the 2022 NFL Draft and he is expected to compete right away for the starting right guard job.

Offensive line will be something to monitor during the season as Los Angeles will be without stalwart left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who retired earlier in the offseason. Whitworth was able to ride off into the sunset with a Super Bowl under his belt but the veteran did not leave out a possible return to the Rams when recently asked about it by TMZ:

“You never say never. I did learn that,” Whitworth said.

“Late-season pickup?” the TMZ cameraman asked.

“You never know,” Whitworth concluded.

After seeing Tom Brady retire and almost immediately come back, nothing would be a surprise though in Whitworth’s case, it is hard to imagine him returning. The tackle played more years in Los Angeles than expected when he originally signed back in 2017, and at this point, it would seem his playing days are behind him at age 40.

However, there is precedent for former captains coming back as the Rams managed to lure Eric Weddle out of retirement for a postseason run when their safety depth took a hit due to injuries. Should something similar happen to the o-line, Whitworth would be worthy call though hopefully the team does not face such a situation.

Rams News: Joseph Noteboom Ready For Starting Role After Learning From Andrew Whitworth

Joseph Noteboom has spent the first four years of his career as a backup offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams. While he did spend some time as the starting left guard and left tackle due to injuries, he largely played second fiddle to Andrew Whitworth.

Following the Rams win in Super Bowl LVI, Whitworth chose to enter retirement after an illustrious career at the left tackle position. And while normally, a retiring left tackle would leave a team in desperate need of a new face, the Rams already had Noteboom ready to go.

L.A. prepared for this moment four years ago with the acquisition of Noteboom from the Las Vegas Raiders. Now, after learning from one of the best in the modern era to play the position, Noteboom is ready to take the leap to full-time starter, according to Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:

“Being behind him, there’s no other better situation in the league,” Noteboom said. “Sixteen-year vet, Walter Payton Man of the Year, I mean, to step into this role, I’ve had a blueprint for it for four years. I was watching his every move on and off the field, so that’s what gives me confidence to go into this position.”

The Rams are hopeful that they won’t experience a drop-off after losing a Pro Bowl left tackle. And they showed their commitment to Noteboom by signing him to a three-year, $40 million contract in free agency. The new Rams starter absolutely could have looked for other teams, but said he never wanted any other outcome than to return to L.A.

And with Matthew Stafford receiving a lucrative extension of his own, the Rams offensive core appears to be locked up for the foreseeable future. Noteboom will be protecting Stafford’s blind side as he finds Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson downfield.

Noteboom will also bring some athletic legs to assist Cam Akers in the run-blocking game. After tearing his Achilles and only returning for the postseason, Akers will have an entire offseason to get back to full strength.

Stafford and Robinson excited to play together

After the historic season put together by Kupp in 2021, the Rams have brought in significant reinforcements in the form of Robinson. While the former Chicago Bears wide receiver had a difficult 2021 season, bad quarterback play could easily be blamed for the lack of production.

Now, Robinson will play with what could be the best quarterback of his career in Stafford, and both players are excited about the opportunity.

Rams Video: Andrew Whitworth Told Kids About Retirement Decision After Super Bowl LVI Win

Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth recently announced his decision to retire from the NFL. While this was an expected choice, he had left the door open for a return in the weeks following the Rams’ win in Super Bowl LVI.

At age 40 after 16 NFL seasons, winning the Super Bowl felt like a perfect chance for Whitworth to step away. The two-time All-Pro first-teamer and four-time Pro-Bowler had a career that all offensive linemen can be envious of.

And while Whitworth took time away before officially announcing his decision, a recently released video shows that Whitworth knew all along that the Super Bowl was going to be his final game, via NFL Films:

The video shows Whitworth sitting with his four children following what could be described as the pinnacle achievement of his football career. There, he announced to his kids that he will no longer be playing football and plans to spend more time at home and “be a better dad.”

So although Whitworth made it seem as though his mind wasn’t 100% made up, he knew from the very end of the Super Bowl that he would not be returning to the Rams in 2022. Through this heartwarming moment captured by NFL Films, that decision was likely made even before the final game of his career.

NFL Films must also be credited for holding on to this video until Whitworth made his retirement official. They could have easily posted this in the weeks before the announcement but showed a high level of respect for the 16-year tackle.

Whitworth spent 11 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he made the postseason six times, had one of his two All-Pro seasons, and three of his four Pro Bowl appearances.

He then spent the final five years of his career with the Rams, where he got his remaining accolades, four more playoff appearances, and an NFL Championship in Super Bowl LVI.

Rams bring back three offensive linemen

Whitworth retired and Austin Corbett signed with the Carolina Panthers, but the Rams still managed to retain three key offensive linemen. The Rams are reportedly re-signing Joseph Noteboom, Brian Allen and Coleman Shelton, with the two formers to a three-year deal and the latter to a two-year deal.

Rams News: Andrew Whitworth Officially Announces Retirement From NFL

When NFL free agency began on Monday, the Los Angeles Rams made sure to prioritize one position group and that was the offensive line.

While the Rams lost starting guard Austin Corbett to the Carolina Panthers, they were able to retain three of their own by re-signing Joseph Noteboom, Brian Allen and Coleman Shelton.

Allen was a no-brainer as he is coming off a really strong season at center for the Rams. Shelton also came back on a cheap deal, giving the Rams some much-needed depth up front.

Perhaps the most surprising signing of the bunch was Noteboom as the Rams committed to him for four years on a lucrative deal despite never being a true starter for the team.

Noteboom has played extremely well when subbing in at left tackle for Andrew Whitworth though, and with the 40-year-old contemplating retirement, it made sense to lock down his backup that can easily become the starter if needed.

It appears that will be the case as Whitworth took to Instagram on Tuesday morning to officially announce his retirement from the NFL after 16 seasons:

This marks the end of an incredible career for Whitworth, who retires a four-time Pro Bowler, two-time First-Team All-Pro, 2021 Walter Payton Man of the Year and 2021 Super Bowl Champion.

In 2021, Whitworth became the first left tackle to start an NFL game at age 40, and he did so while continuing to play at an extremely high level despite making 235 career starts.

With Whitworth no longer in the fold though, it will be Noteboom’s time to shine as the Rams’ starting left tackle.

Now that Whitworth’s playing days are over, it will be interesting to see what he does next. He has talked about wanting to remain involved in football and with the Rams, so maybe he will join the front office in some type of role moving forward.

Rams News: Andrew Whitworth Expresses Desire To Remain In Football When He Retires

It was a full-circle moment for Andrew Whitworth when he and the Los Angeles Rams triumphed in Super Bowl LVI.

The Rams played the up-and-coming Cincinnati Bengals, the team that Whitworth spent 11 seasons with before signing with Los Angeles back in 2017. After beating his former team to earn his first Super Bowl ring, it was widely assumed that Whitworth would retire.

While Whitworth admitted he is leaning toward retiring, no official decision has been made and he revealed that he is going to stay close to football regardless, via Skyler Carlin of USA Today:

“Here’s the thing: No matter what, I’m gonna be involved in football,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m gonna be doing, I might be sitting by you one day. I might be sitting in the Rams facility doing something else, so you never know. We’ll see what happens. I’ll be involved in football. Football’s my passion. I love this game, I love the NFL, and I can’t wait to be a part of it one way or another. So don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”

The tackle noted he has been working out and staying active, but it would be a shock if he returned for the 2022 season. If Whitworth wants to remain in the league, staying with the Rams as a coach would be an intriguing option. Los Angeles could always use more brilliant football minds on staff, and Whitworth fits the bill as a leader and teacher.

Whitworth previously said that he would take a few weeks to make a decision on his playing career, which means an announcement could come at any moment. If the 2021 campaign was indeed Whitworth’s final one, it ended in the best way possible and the city of Los Angeles will always be grateful for what he has done both on and off the field.