LA Rams LT Andrew Whitworth seems to be Los Ageless One

LA Rams left offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth is playing like he’s discovered the fountain of youth

The LA Rams are blessed with an offensive tackle who seems to have discovered a fountain of youth. That player is Andrew Whitworth, who is also known as ‘Big Whit’. He is 38 years old and outplays many NFL offensive linemen many times his junior.  In fact, in some ways, he seems to be outplaying a younger version of himself at times.  And so far, he’s played 100 percent of the offensive snaps.

Some players NFL careers resemble an ad in the classified section. Others resemble a newspaper article. Others have careers that resemble a paperback. But the NFL career of Andrew Whitworth is taking on the dimensions of a hardback version of War And Peace. He has played at one of the most physically demanding positions in the NFL for 15 years. Of 227 possible games, he has missed a grand total of nine.  And of those 227 possible games, he has started 214.

Don’t overlook that contribution

The LA Rams have benefitted from Big Whit’s iron man durability since he arrived in 2017. It’s no small coincidence that his arrival coincided with the hiring of new head coach Sean McVay, or that over that time frame the Rams have never had a losing season.  The constant elements? Well, there is the head coach Sean McVay. There is the quarterback Jared Goff. And there is the left tackle Andrew Whitworth. He’s virtually impossible to miss, as he stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 330-pounds.

The Rams have been able to win because the quarterback has remained upright.  And the quarterback has remained upright because he is not running for his life due to pass rushers attacking his blindside on every passing play. Some quarterbacks’ careers ended from a blindside tackle. Even as he plays solid football, he is mentoring his teammates and sharing his wisdom with young players trying to earn their own careers in professional football.

The Rams signed up Whitworth as their left tackle on March 9, 2017, with a three-year $36 million deal. Despite the short duration, the Rams never seemed to develop his understudy, leading the team to re-sign Andrew Whitworth to another three-year deal in 2020.  Even as the Rams enjoy a rejuvenated Whitworth, they have to face the harsh reality of grooming his successor. The NFL has the nickname “Not For Long” for good reason.  The LA Rams are blessed to have ‘Los Ageless One’ at the left offensive tackle. But even he will need someone prepared to take over when he eventually hangs up his cleats.