Los Angeles Rams star offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth is up for 2018 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
Prior to last season, the Los Angeles Rams were able to convince Andrew Whitworth to come on board with the intention of providing a much-needed boost to the offensive line, which was exactly the case.
When looking at all of the struggles the year before during the limited action Jared Goff saw as a rookie, the Rams knew improving their offensive line to provide their young quarterback with better protection was a top priority heading into Sean McVay‘s first season as head coach.
Some questioned the decision by Whitworth to join a team like the Rams coming off a four-win season after spending the first 11 years of his career as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.
But when seeing how the Bengals are on the verge of missing out on the playoffs for a third year in a row while the Rams continue to battle for the top seed in the NFC, Whitworth clearly knew what he was doing.
Whether it was his veteran experience or just the leadership skills he would bring to the table, it was easy to understand why Los Angeles was so high on Whitworth during the 2017 offseason. And when seeing the impact he’s made both on and off the field over the last two years, it’s also easy to see why he quickly became a favorite for Rams fans.
This week, 32 nominees were announced for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, which honors players for their amazing dedication to community service away from the football field.
When looking at all of the work and service he’s accomplished this year once again, the announcement of Whitworth as the team’s nominee shouldn’t come as a surprise at all to Rams fans, as this seems like an easy decision.
While there were numerous reasons to choose Whitworth when looking at some of the work he’s done this year, the one thing that most recently stood out the most was the offensive lineman’s decision to donate his game check to the victims of the Thousand Oaks shooting.
Football players always receive heavy praise for their accomplishments on the field, but it’s kind gestures like this from Whitworth or anyone else that make fans love them even more.
Even if Whitworth doesn’t go on to win the award since there are a handful of candidates that have done plenty of amazing things as well, it’s the impact made in the community that matters the most since this is what every player truly cares about.