OT Andrew Whitworth makes sense to join LA Rams coaching staff

The LA Rams have been blessed with some of the most incredible talents in NFL history. But beyond the football field, they have some truly incredible people, too. One such admirable player, retired Andrew Whitworth, steps away from the game at the height of his NFL career. But, in a way, doesn’t it all feel a bit surreal and anti-climatic?

Some players are just built for the NFL in ways that few truly understand. It’s not just a job, but a way of life for many. A camaraderie that channels competition, self-awareness, discipline, strategy, and self-awareness in ways that creates a brotherhood of sorts. Players love the bonds built through the adversity and success of football.

Once in the bloodstream, it’s tough to walk away from.

And yet, 40-year old LA Rams OT Andrew Whitworth did walk away from the game.  Or rather the LA Rams simply no longer had enough cap space to bring him along for the journey for one more season. In any case, the Whitworths have a future that no longer revolves around the schedule of the NFL season. In many ways, that can be quite liberating.

Retirement is not for everyone

But I will tell you with some certainty that retirement is not for everyone. What?!  No, seriously. How many golf games can one person play before it is in itself a pseudo obligation? Veteran quarterback Tom Brady retired and then unretired in less than one month’s time. That’s how long before he regretted his decision.  Is Andrew Whitworth so far behind?

Football can be part of a former player’s life in several ways. Some players go on to join the broadcast booth of local or national television. And yes, Andrew Whitworth would be incredibly insightful and entertaining in that role.

But what about as a member of the LA Rams coaching staff? The guy is 40 years old but was the starting offensive tackle for the Rams until he retired. He takes immaculate care of himself. And if you hadn’t noticed, the LA Rams are loaded with very young offensive linemen. Offensive tackle Rob Havenstein is a veteran of six NFL seasons, and he is now the ‘old guy’ on the LA Rams offensive line.

Already coaching, just need to formalize the role

Whitworth acted like a player-coach in the last couple of years in his playing days. When the injury-riddled offensive line fell to one of the worst-performing units in the NFL from the 2019 NFL season, Whitworth invited his teammates over to his house to work out while the COVID-19 pandemic erupted across the planet. The result? The LA Rams offensive line graded out as one of the NFL’s best the following year.

In 2020 and 2021, the LA Rams have not drafted a player higher than one seventh-round selection of offensive tackle Tremayne Anchrum in the 2020 NFL Draft. The team also added undrafted rookie Alaric “A.J.” Jackson, and IPP player Max Pircher.

All three young players, and more, have spent hours working with, asking questions of, and learning from Andrew Whitworth. And why not? He’s one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL, and the longevity of his career is likely something we’ll not see again for many years.

Paying it forward

Andrew Whitworth is a sensational player. But peeling back the layers reveals that both Andrew and his wife Melissa are champions of so many worthwhile causes. They are more than a figurehead or spokespersons. They are very active in making meaningful and positive changes in the lives of others.

I’m not suggesting that their lives be returned to the back burner so that Whitworth can come back to the LA Rams and work even crazier hours as a coach preparing the players. Nor am I suggesting that the NFL burden the Whitworth family with another lesser paying lousier hours type of role. But Andrew Whitworth is a special type of player with a unique talent and skillset for elevating the play of younger NFL players in ways that even they could never imagine.

During his acceptance speech for winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, Andrew Whitworth gave an authentic and heartfelt portrayal of how his football podium had allowed him to reach into and touch the hearts and lives of so many. I think in my mind that is what a coaching role will do for him.

The LA Rams have benefited from his leadership on the football field. Why not double down and benefit from his leadership on the sidelines too?