The Los Angeles Rams — then based out of St. Louis — used their first-round pick in 2013 at No. 8 overall to select Tavon Austin. The Baltimore native and West Virginia wide receiver was selected to bring some dynamics to the Rams pass-catching core alongside quarterback Sam Bradford.
Austin would spend the next five years as a leader of the Rams, especially as they made their transition to L.A. between his third and fourth season. Austin served as both a wide receiver and a kick returner during his five seasons. He had three punt return touchdowns and 12 receiving touchdowns in that span.
He then spent time with the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers and finally the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021. Austin had not seen the field since then, but had not yet officially retired from the game. He finally did so on Tuesday, announcing he was walking away via an Instagram post.
Austin compiled 194 catches for 1,689 yards as a member of the Rams with 12 touchdowns, adding another nine on the ground and three through returns. He was an all-purpose type player that helped get the Rams through some lean years before head coach Sean McVay came in and created a winning culture.
As Austin says in his retirement statement, “I’d also like to thank all of the organizations, coaches, and staff that took a chance on me. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunities, and I hope you all knew that I played from the heart and gave my ALL every day, regardless of the circumstances.”
Even if the stats don’t necessarily pop the way others have, Austin was a highly impactful member of the Rams for his five seasons.
Rams’ Kyren Williams excited for 2024 season
When the Rams traded away Cam Akers during the 2023 season, it opened up the door for Kyren Williams to prove himself at the professional level.
Williams struggled with injuries to begin his NFL career, but once given the keys to the backfield he made good on his opportunity and established himself as a bellcow for head coach Sean McVay’s offense.
The Notre Dame product went on to become one of the best pure runners in the league, racking up 1,144 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He also added 32 receptions for 206 yards and three touchdowns for good measure in just 12 games.
With training camp behind the team, Williams believes things worked out for him and Los Angeles and he expressed his excitement for the upcoming 2024 season.
