Ever since training camp began before the 2021 season, it almost seemed like a given that Andrew Whitworth would retire when the season concluded. And with Whitworth being able to go out on top with a Super Bowl win in his fifth year with the Los Angeles Rams, the odds of him calling it quits seemingly increased.
During a recent appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show, Whitworth admitted that he’s leaning toward retirement. However, he’ll wait another couple of weeks before making an official decision
On NFL Network, Whitworth revealed that he received some advice from Wayne Gretzky when the hockey legend called him after the Rams won the Super Bowl. Gretzky didn’t necessarily push Whitworth to return, but he did point out that the only thing better than winning one title is 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, via NFL.com. “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.”
During his 11 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals to begin his career, Whitworth never got close to winning a Super Bowl. In his first four years with the Rams, the team got close multiple times (including a Super Bowl appearance in 2018), but they were unable to get the job done.
It was another spectacular year for Whitworth in 2021 as he turned 40 years old while still cementing himself as one of the best left tackles in the NFL. While he had four Pro Bowl appearances and two All-Pro nods on his resume already, Whitworth was only missing a Super Bowl ring to strengthen his case for Canton.
After another deep push in the playoffs, Whitworth was able to help defeat his former team in the Super Bowl, giving him what would be a storybook ending to a remarkable career. Even though he is likely going to retire, the veteran offensive tackle admits that the idea of chasing another ring in 2022 intrigues him.