Rams offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth said Wednesday he is “leaning towards” retirement after 16 NFL seasons, but not before soliciting some high-profile advice.
Whitworth said he spoke with NHL legend Wayne Gretzky after the Rams won Super Bowl LVI. Gretzky apparently told Whitworth to re-consider the idea of retirement, noting “there’s only one thing better than winning one [championship], and that's winning two.”
“I’ll never forget after we won the game, ‘The Great One’ Wayne Gretzky called me, cause I live out here near him in Sherwood [California],” Whitworth said, per NFL.com’s Nick Shook. “He was like, ‘Hey Whit, there’s only one thing better than winning one, and that’s winning two.’ And I said, ‘You know what, I can’t argue with you.’ It’s gonna be tough. One way or another it’s gonna be a tough decision.”
Whitworth was still an effective offensive lineman in his age-40 season, though it’s hard to blame him if he wants to hang up his cleats after an illustrious career. Whitworth is a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, and he was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2021.
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