Andrew Whitworth.Photo: Mark J Terrill/AP/ShutterstockLos Angeles Ramsstarting offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth is focused on playing his best in this Sunday’sSuper Bowlagainst his former team, the Cincinnati Bengals. Not only does he want to go out there and win, he knows in the back of his mind that it may be the last time he’ll step on an NFL field.“I think,” Whitworth, 40, tells PEOPLE when asked if he’ll soon hang up his cleats. “We’ll see. More than likely this will be it. There’s always a scenario, but to me, I think I’ve accomplished about everything that I’d wanna accomplish in my career and I’ve got a lot of other things I want to do.“The four-time Pro Bowler has his little ones — four kids with wife Melissa, to be exact — in mind as he finalizes his decision, too.“I’ve got a family that needs me and needs me to make it about them for a little while,” Whitworth says. “So we’ll see. More likely, this is it though.“But for now, he’s focused on Sunday’s game. In fact, he’s not even too nervous: “It’s a little easier having played in it a couple of years ago.” (The Rams played in Super Bowl LIII, ultimately losing to the New England Patriots.)Of course, there’s the whole playing against his former team thing, as Whitworth started and spent much of his career with the Bengals until 2017. “As a player for me personally, it’s pretty unique because I’ve played as long as I have and played for an amazing franchise in Cincinnati, and then moved here five years ago to get to face an organization that I put my heart and soul in and was a part of building the [successful] team that they are now,” the player says.He adds, “And then now to play ‘em in the Super Bowl. It’s insane. I couldn’t come up with the story myself and I just have so much gratefulness to be where I am and enjoy it and have fun. I can’t wait to go compete and just get after it.“Should this be the end of the road, Whitworth knows how he’s going to celebrate.“I’m too old to do a whole lot of celebrating,” Whitworth admits. “I just want to go sit on a couch and lick my wounds and hang out with my dogs and have the kids around. And spend some family time together. I mean, to me, that’s about as much celebrating as I got in me at 40 years old, still playing on the offensive line room. I’m gonna just wanna go lay down somewhere.“Whitworth is hoping to celebrate more than just the Vince Lombardi Trophy being won on home turf this weekend. The athlete is also up for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, which is handed out at the NFL Honors event on Thursday, just a few days before the big game. Nominees are players who have shown excellence both on and off the field while impacting lives with charitable efforts in their community.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.Whitworth and wife Melissa founded the non-profitBig Whit 77 Foundation, benefitting families and youth in their community. In part, the foundation offers financial assistance to in-need high school seniors, provides adoption resources to families going through the process, and has been distributing $20,000 after every home game to build houses for the less fortunate in his home state of Louisiana.“It’s a great moment to sit back and say, ‘Man, you know what? A lot of the things you’ve done, a lot of the opportunities you’ve had to help people or just represent your team in a way that brings honor and pride to how you do things and how you live life.’ I think it’s one of those things that will kind of culminate. Like, ‘Wow, okay, this is unbelievably humbling,’ " he says.“The reward from doing it has been just amazing just to see,” Whitworth shares of his charitable efforts. “The faces, to be a part of it, to watch these people moving. These homes has been something my kids and Melissa, and I will never forget.“And as for that other potential reward this weekend (the Vince Lombardi trophy, of course), the always-giving Whitworth is more focused on what it’ll mean for his teammates.“I just think of so many guys and their contributions and why we are exactly where we are that deserve this, this chance,” he tells PEOPLE. “And so I think that’s what makes you wanna fight for it that much more.”
Andrew Whitworth.Photo: Mark J Terrill/AP/Shutterstock
Los Angeles Ramsstarting offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth is focused on playing his best in this Sunday’sSuper Bowlagainst his former team, the Cincinnati Bengals. Not only does he want to go out there and win, he knows in the back of his mind that it may be the last time he’ll step on an NFL field.“I think,” Whitworth, 40, tells PEOPLE when asked if he’ll soon hang up his cleats. “We’ll see. More than likely this will be it. There’s always a scenario, but to me, I think I’ve accomplished about everything that I’d wanna accomplish in my career and I’ve got a lot of other things I want to do.“The four-time Pro Bowler has his little ones — four kids with wife Melissa, to be exact — in mind as he finalizes his decision, too.“I’ve got a family that needs me and needs me to make it about them for a little while,” Whitworth says. “So we’ll see. More likely, this is it though.“But for now, he’s focused on Sunday’s game. In fact, he’s not even too nervous: “It’s a little easier having played in it a couple of years ago.” (The Rams played in Super Bowl LIII, ultimately losing to the New England Patriots.)Of course, there’s the whole playing against his former team thing, as Whitworth started and spent much of his career with the Bengals until 2017. “As a player for me personally, it’s pretty unique because I’ve played as long as I have and played for an amazing franchise in Cincinnati, and then moved here five years ago to get to face an organization that I put my heart and soul in and was a part of building the [successful] team that they are now,” the player says.He adds, “And then now to play ‘em in the Super Bowl. It’s insane. I couldn’t come up with the story myself and I just have so much gratefulness to be where I am and enjoy it and have fun. I can’t wait to go compete and just get after it.“Should this be the end of the road, Whitworth knows how he’s going to celebrate.“I’m too old to do a whole lot of celebrating,” Whitworth admits. “I just want to go sit on a couch and lick my wounds and hang out with my dogs and have the kids around. And spend some family time together. I mean, to me, that’s about as much celebrating as I got in me at 40 years old, still playing on the offensive line room. I’m gonna just wanna go lay down somewhere.“Whitworth is hoping to celebrate more than just the Vince Lombardi Trophy being won on home turf this weekend. The athlete is also up for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, which is handed out at the NFL Honors event on Thursday, just a few days before the big game. Nominees are players who have shown excellence both on and off the field while impacting lives with charitable efforts in their community.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.Whitworth and wife Melissa founded the non-profitBig Whit 77 Foundation, benefitting families and youth in their community. In part, the foundation offers financial assistance to in-need high school seniors, provides adoption resources to families going through the process, and has been distributing $20,000 after every home game to build houses for the less fortunate in his home state of Louisiana.“It’s a great moment to sit back and say, ‘Man, you know what? A lot of the things you’ve done, a lot of the opportunities you’ve had to help people or just represent your team in a way that brings honor and pride to how you do things and how you live life.’ I think it’s one of those things that will kind of culminate. Like, ‘Wow, okay, this is unbelievably humbling,’ " he says.“The reward from doing it has been just amazing just to see,” Whitworth shares of his charitable efforts. “The faces, to be a part of it, to watch these people moving. These homes has been something my kids and Melissa, and I will never forget.“And as for that other potential reward this weekend (the Vince Lombardi trophy, of course), the always-giving Whitworth is more focused on what it’ll mean for his teammates.“I just think of so many guys and their contributions and why we are exactly where we are that deserve this, this chance,” he tells PEOPLE. “And so I think that’s what makes you wanna fight for it that much more.”
Los Angeles Ramsstarting offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth is focused on playing his best in this Sunday’sSuper Bowlagainst his former team, the Cincinnati Bengals. Not only does he want to go out there and win, he knows in the back of his mind that it may be the last time he’ll step on an NFL field.
“I think,” Whitworth, 40, tells PEOPLE when asked if he’ll soon hang up his cleats. “We’ll see. More than likely this will be it. There’s always a scenario, but to me, I think I’ve accomplished about everything that I’d wanna accomplish in my career and I’ve got a lot of other things I want to do.”
The four-time Pro Bowler has his little ones — four kids with wife Melissa, to be exact — in mind as he finalizes his decision, too.
“I’ve got a family that needs me and needs me to make it about them for a little while,” Whitworth says. “So we’ll see. More likely, this is it though.”
But for now, he’s focused on Sunday’s game. In fact, he’s not even too nervous: “It’s a little easier having played in it a couple of years ago.” (The Rams played in Super Bowl LIII, ultimately losing to the New England Patriots.)
Of course, there’s the whole playing against his former team thing, as Whitworth started and spent much of his career with the Bengals until 2017. “As a player for me personally, it’s pretty unique because I’ve played as long as I have and played for an amazing franchise in Cincinnati, and then moved here five years ago to get to face an organization that I put my heart and soul in and was a part of building the [successful] team that they are now,” the player says.
He adds, “And then now to play ‘em in the Super Bowl. It’s insane. I couldn’t come up with the story myself and I just have so much gratefulness to be where I am and enjoy it and have fun. I can’t wait to go compete and just get after it.”
Should this be the end of the road, Whitworth knows how he’s going to celebrate.
“I’m too old to do a whole lot of celebrating,” Whitworth admits. “I just want to go sit on a couch and lick my wounds and hang out with my dogs and have the kids around. And spend some family time together. I mean, to me, that’s about as much celebrating as I got in me at 40 years old, still playing on the offensive line room. I’m gonna just wanna go lay down somewhere.”
Whitworth is hoping to celebrate more than just the Vince Lombardi Trophy being won on home turf this weekend. The athlete is also up for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, which is handed out at the NFL Honors event on Thursday, just a few days before the big game. Nominees are players who have shown excellence both on and off the field while impacting lives with charitable efforts in their community.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.
Whitworth and wife Melissa founded the non-profitBig Whit 77 Foundation, benefitting families and youth in their community. In part, the foundation offers financial assistance to in-need high school seniors, provides adoption resources to families going through the process, and has been distributing $20,000 after every home game to build houses for the less fortunate in his home state of Louisiana.
“It’s a great moment to sit back and say, ‘Man, you know what? A lot of the things you’ve done, a lot of the opportunities you’ve had to help people or just represent your team in a way that brings honor and pride to how you do things and how you live life.’ I think it’s one of those things that will kind of culminate. Like, ‘Wow, okay, this is unbelievably humbling,’ " he says.
“The reward from doing it has been just amazing just to see,” Whitworth shares of his charitable efforts. “The faces, to be a part of it, to watch these people moving. These homes has been something my kids and Melissa, and I will never forget.”
And as for that other potential reward this weekend (the Vince Lombardi trophy, of course), the always-giving Whitworth is more focused on what it’ll mean for his teammates.
“I just think of so many guys and their contributions and why we are exactly where we are that deserve this, this chance,” he tells PEOPLE. “And so I think that’s what makes you wanna fight for it that much more.”
source: people.com
