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The Los Angeles Rams are going after it one last time before moving on to the next generation.
The Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the NFL Draft in April, but soon after extended reigning MVP Matthew Stafford for another year and then stunned the league by acquiring reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
The Garrett trade then warranted some speculation and rumors that three-time DPOY Aaron Donald was considering a return.
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Andrew Whitworth of the Los Angeles Rams stands up on the podium after the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in an NFL Super Bowl LVI football game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022. (Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)
When asked in a recent interview with Pakinomist Digital if he was a package deal with Donald, former Ram Andrew Whitworth said, “No, I don’t think so.”
“If I was 35, I’d be out there right now. There’s no doubt about it. I mean, of course, I’ve already shown that because I played until I was 40,” Whitworth added.
But Whitworth said he’s been watching the future Hall of Famer to see where his heart lies.
“I’ve stayed on AD. I shoot him a little text every now and then to try and get a feel. I’d love to see that. That would be super exciting,” Whitworth said. “He’s going to do what’s best for him. I hope he gets some workouts in and man, I hope he gets the itch because there would be nothing more fun than watching that guy. He’s one of the most special people and players I’ve ever been around. At the same time, I don’t want him to go out there and get hurt, but if I do, he hopes he does. That’s for sure.”
It’s hard not to be excited when you think about two of the game’s very best lining up next to each other, and that’s exactly what Anders would do if he teamed up with Garrett.
Myles Garrett of the Los Angeles Rams poses with his jersey during a news conference after an organized team practice at the Rams Village at the Warner Center in Woodland Hills, Calif., on June 2, 2026. (Kevin Terrell/Getty Images)
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But Garrett alone is enough for Whitworth to be locked into the Rams this coming season.
“I’ve kind of caught up with him already. He’s been using my gym here that a lot of the guys train in, so it’s been great to see him in the fold here and be around him a little bit. I’m excited for him,” Whitworth said. “I think he’ll realize that this is a pretty special place to play. It’s a very unique dressing room and culture. I consider it a one-on-one type of place and I think he’s had some conversations with him that he’s already picked up on that and realizes what a special opportunity this is.
“I think you’re going to see an even more invigorated, excited, amped up version of Myles Garrett when he comes in here and realizes how special this place is and the juice it’s going to give him to be a part of something bigger than himself, where he’s on a winner and he’s in a place that’s built to win, and he’s going to be one of the reasons why it’s fun that it’s this guy, after watching this go down.”
Another spectacle Whitworth is excited about is this year’s American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament, where he will again tee off in Lake Tahoe.
“I think I count down the days every year. I think the second it ends, you get nervous about the next year,” Whitworth said.
Former NFL player Andrew Whitworth hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the second day of the 2024 American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nevada on July 13, 2024. (Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
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“It’s fun. You’ve got all these athletes, celebrities, everything else that’s been on TV in front of thousands of people, everything else, but we joke every year, the group of us, when we’re all sitting around talking, like the nerves, the nervous energy, the kind of little jitters you get in front of all those people, so it’s fun to go out there and it’s fun, man.
“Obviously it’s not what we all specifically set out to do in life and for our lives, but it kind of reminds you of some of those feelings of how much it means to you and the energy. It’s really just grown and grown and grown with the fans. So it’s a pretty special week, man. It’s one that I think we think about all year long.”
