Los Angeles Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth has been an absolute force both on and off the field since his arrival back in 2017.
Aside from serving as the anchor of this offensive line, he has also been a staple in every community he is a part of throughout his NFL career. His efforts have been recognized by the team as their nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for the last three years.
With signs potentially pointing toward the 2021 NFL season being his last, Whitworth has decided to make the most out of it by pledging to donate $20,000 for housing in Louisiana and L.A.
He announces an initiative that after each home game, Whitworth will donate $20,000 to repair homes in home state Louisiana after Hurricane Ida. In L.A., Whitworth will help locals in need move into housing.
“My family and I participated in United Way’s HomeWalk in 2019 and through that experience, our kids had an opportunity to learn more about the humanitarian crisis of housing insecurity,” Whitworth said in a statement Wednesday. “The following Christmas, my wife Melissa and I gave the kids a chance to help decide how we as a family could make a difference, and the kids said they wanted to help people struggling with homelessness, which was so rewarding to hear as a parent. Being able to come together as a family and bless other families was incredibly meaningful and we continued the holiday initiative last year. This year, we are excited to make it a season-long initiative and broaden our impact in both our home state of Louisiana and our new home of Los Angeles.”
The efforts are being made as part of the “Big Whit Homes for LA Families” program partnering with St. Joseph Center, LA Family Housing and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. This will help foot the bill for those in need of help with rent, groceries and down payments for homes.
Meanwhile, Whitworth’s partnership with Rebuilding Together will lend aid for people whose houses were damaged by Hurricane Ida. In this way, he continues to take care of both places that he has called home throughout his career.
The veteran’s efforts in and outside the locker room are further evidence of why he was once again named as a team captain. It is safe to say that he also got an early start on securing the team’s nomination for Water Payton Man of the Year for the fourth year in a row.
Whitworth also did a stellar job of helping keep new quarterback Matthew Stafford clean versus the Chicago Bears in his debut at SoFi Stadium. Any chance that the Rams have of potentially playing in a Super Bowl at home this season will hinge on the three-time All-Pro keeping Stafford as healthy as possible.
