Andrew Whitworth

Sport: Football

Induction Year: 2025

University: LSU

Nicknamed “Big Whit” for a reason, the 6-foot-7, 330-pound offensive tackle was part of national championship teams at West Monroe High School (1998, 2000) and LSU (2003) and closed his career starting for the Los Angeles Rams in their Super Bowl LVI win over Cincinnati, his first NFL team. After helping West Monroe win three state crowns (first in 1997), he was a stalwart for LSU from 2002-05. His 16-year NFL career with the Bengals (2006-16) and the Rams (2017-21) included four Pro Bowls and finished with the Super Bowl championship and the NFL’s prestigious “Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year” award for community activism. A second-team Walter Camp All-American as a senior at LSU and two-time All-SEC selection, Whitworth set a school record with 52 starts (since surpassed) — one off the NCAA mark. As a sophomore in 2003, he started all 14 games at tackle when LSU claimed its first national title in 45 years. He led all Tigers’ linemen in taking 920 offensive snaps, piling up team-highs with 62 knockdowns and 23 pancakes. He missed only one practice during his career and that was to attend his graduation ceremonies. A second-round pick (55th overall) in 2006, Whitworth became the oldest offensive tackle to play in a Super Bowl when the Rams tripped the Bengals, 23-20. A month later, Whitworth called it a career on March 15, 2002, after playing in 239 games with 235 starts; he also played in 15 postseason games — including Super Bowl LII (a loss to New England) — to give him an even 250 for his career. A two-time AP first-team All-Pro (2015, 2017) and four-time Pro Bowl selection, he was named the 2021 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year three days before the Super Bowl win. At West Monroe, he played for LSHOF coach Don Shows, and was also an LHSAA tennis champion. Whitworth has long been a community servant through his BigWhit 77 Foundation. In March 2020, he and wife Melissa, a former Miss Louisiana, donated $250,000 to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank during the pandemic…. He is an Amazon Prime NFL TV analyst. … Born 12-12-81 in Monroe.