It was a whirlwind of a week for former LSU Tigers offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth. He was named Walter Payton Man of the Year for his efforts on and off the field. At the NFL Honors program, he gave an amazing speech and shared a touching story for how it all came together.
Finally, after all of those NFL training camps and grueling offseasons, Whitworth can add another championship ring to his collection. This marked his 16th season in the NFL. Whitworth won a national championship at LSU under head coach Nick Saban in 2003. It was the first for the Tigers since 1958.
After helping bring LSU its first title in 45 years, Whitworth brought the Los Angeles Rams their first tile since 1999. For the 40-year-old, there might not be a better time to ride out. He played the game at a high level and now has that elusive championship in his career. It was almost fitting it came against the very team that drafted him in 2006.
Former LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was emotional following the win. He had to sit on the sidelines and watch his teammates put together a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. His day ended abruptly when he injured his left knee during the first half.
It was the first time Beckham experienced the postseason since the 2016 season with the New York Giants. That year the Giants were bounced in the wild-card round by the Green Bay Packers, 38-13. When the Cleveland Browns made the playoffs in 2020 he had to watch due to injury.
This year he finally got past that first round and went all the way to the Super Bowl. He caught the first touchdown of the game and it looked as if it was OBJ’s night until he was injured. Fortunately for Beckham, his teammates came through and he can finally hoist the Lombardi Trophy.