Immediately after Super Bowl LIII, there was speculation surrounding Andrew Whitworth’s future in the NFL. At 37 years old and having completed his 13th season in the NFL, there was no guarantee he’d be back in 2019 despite having one year left on his contract.
He fueled that speculation by saying he was undecided after the Rams’ loss to New England and the questions lingered for almost a month. Then out of nowhere this week, Whitworth tweeted that he’s returning in 2019 and delaying his inevitable retirement for at least one more year.
Rams fans, coaches and players rejoiced, but Sean McVay wasn’t surprised in the least bit by the news. He always had a feeling Whitworth would be back for another year.
“You like to make it dramatic with the nice announcement. The good thing about Andrew is we knew that right after (the Super Bowl) we were walking off the field. I got a sense from him that he certainly knew he wasn’t done right away,” McVay said.
Multiple times after the season ended, Whitworth said he still wasn’t sure about whether he’d return for a 14th season. He wanted to discuss it with his wife and make sure his family could handle another long season in the NFL.
Ultimately, he decided to give it one last shot, hoping to make another run at a Super Bowl after coming so close to winning a Lombardi Trophy this past season. McVay expects Whitworth to be ready to go in 2019, joking that he’s entering his 27th year in the league.
“Going into his 27th year, I think he’s going to still be ready to go,” McVay joked.
McVay is undoubtedly thrilled to have Whitworth back after seeing him dominate once again in 2018. Although he didn’t make the Pro Bowl or earn another All-Pro selection, he remained one of the top tackles in the league, all while battling an ankle injury early in the season.
“He played his best football down the stretch,” McVay said. “He had an ankle (injury) earlier in the year where – he’s such a freak that he’s able to sustain and play at a high level. But once he got that thing healthy, you could really see the last couple games when you’re playing against Arizona, you’re playing against San Fran and then the three playoff games we had – he was outstanding. He played with a great physical demeanor. I thought there was just an edge that he played with and a confidence that showed up.”
