Rams' Whitworth retires after 16 years capped by first ring

Left tackle Andrew Whitworth is retiring after a 16-season NFL career capped by his first Super Bowl championship last month with the Los Angeles Rams.

Whitworth made his long-anticipated decision official Tuesday, just over a month after the Rams beat his former team, the Cincinnati Bengals, to win his first ring.

Whitworth turned 40 last December and became the oldest player to start at left tackle in the modern NFL. The two-time All-Pro selection protected Matthew Stafford's blind side all the way to a 23-20 victory in the Super Bowl at the Rams' own SoFi Stadium.

He spent his final five seasons with the Rams, who signed him shortly after hiring Sean McVay as their head coach in 2017. The massive offensive lineman was the cornerstone of McVay's transformative offense in Los Angeles, leading the team to five consecutive winning seasons, four playoff berths, three NFC West titles, two Super Bowl appearances and one championship.

Whitworth also was selected the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year last season for his extensive community work and mentorship to younger teammates, along with his excellent play.

Whitworth said as recently as December he hoped to play out the next year of his contract with the Rams in 2022. But the opportunity to go out at the pinnacle of his career proved too enticing to the lineman and his family. Whitworth and his wife, Melissa, have four children.

The four-time Pro Bowl selection's career began with 11 seasons in Cincinnati, which drafted him in the second round in 2006. He started his career on the interior line before moving to left tackle in 2009 for the Bengals, soon establishing himself as an excellent all-around blocker and a top left tackle.

Whitworth is a Louisiana native who won a national championship at LSU before the Bengals drafted him in the second round in 2006.

One day before Whitworth's long-expected announcement, the Rams re-signed Joseph Noteboom to a three-year, $40 million contract that could be worth up to $47.5 million through playing time incentives. Noteboom has spent the past four years largely as Whitworth's backup, and he has been a capable replacement whenever Whitworth was slowed by injuries.

Whitworth’s retirement will save the Rams about $16 million against the salary cap, and the champs will need that room to bolster their roster for another title run. He was due a $3 million roster bonus on Saturday.

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