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Rams' Andrew Whitworth reportedly will put off retirement for another NFL seasonWhitworth, who recently had ankle surgery, has spent the last three seasons with the Rams
Bryan DeArdo
Andrew Whitworth is not going to retire just yet. On Tuesday morning, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the veteran offensive lineman is "putting off retirement another year" and is expected to return for the 2020 season, his 15th in the NFL. The 38-year-old lineman is reportedly "feeling great" after having offseason surgery to clean out his left ankle.
Rapoport added there is confidence Whitworth and the Rams will be able to come to terms on a new contract. Whitworth is slated to become a free agent on March 18 after he completed his three-year, $33,750,000 deal with the Rams this past season.
A second round pick out of LSU in the 2006 draft, Whitworth was an immediate starter in Cincinnati, helping create running lanes for Rudy Johnson while also helping Carson Palmer earn Pro Bowl honors during his rookie season. Whitworth's steady play helped the Bengals advance to the postseason six times during a seven-year span that include AFC North division titles in 2009, 2013 and in 2015.
After earning one Pro Bowl selection during his first nine seasons, Whitworth earned consecutive Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in 2015 and a third career Pro Bowl nod in 2016, his final season with the Bengals. Whitworth signed with the Rams that ensuing offseason, and was named an All Pro in 2017 while helping the Rams capture the NFC West division title. In 2018, Whitworth helped the Rams boast the league's second ranked scoring offense while also helping Los Angeles defeat the Cowboys and Saints en route to an appearance in Super Bowl LIII.
Along with providing clear throwing lanes for Palmer, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and Rams quarterback Jared Goff, Whitworth has blocked for several 1,000-yard backs, including Johnson, Cedric Benson, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Jeremy Hill, and Todd Gurley.
Whitworth has also been an iron man of sorts, playing in all 16 games in a season 10 times that includes each of the past two seasons. In all, Whitworth has appeared in 215 regular season games with 211 career starts.
