Former Rams tackle Andrew Whitworth clarifies remarks about calls to come out of retirement

Andrew Whitworth capped off an incredible 16-year career in the NFL earlier this year with a Super Bowl victory and the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, but just months after retiring, the veteran tackle is apparently getting calls to reconsider. 

The former Los Angeles Ram said in an interview before the Houston Texans–San Francisco 49ers preseason game on Thursday night that his phone has been ringing since his former team lost to the Texans the previous week, 24-20. 

“It has. I mean, obviously, there’s been some things with the [Dallas] Cowboys and losing [tackle] Tyron Smith,” he said. “It’s just an awful deal. Such a great player, and a guy I’ve always just loved watching play.

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“It’s been a busy day of answering calls. The problem is they’re calling and texting the wrong person. They need to be texting and calling Melissa Whitworth and the kids, because they have final approval on whether I’m ever going to play football again.”

Whitmore later clarified that it wasn’t the Cowboys that had been calling, but rather “friends and fans” after news of Smith’s injury.

“I answered many messages yesterday from national and a few Dallas sports reporters and journalists,” he said in a separate tweet. “The ‘people’ I mentioned last night. Asking me if cowboys had reached out? Or if I was interested? Answer was ‘No’ 2 both!”

Smith, an eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle, suffered a major leg injury during practice Wednesday and will likely miss the majority of the season after being diagnosed with an avulsion fracture of the knee.

The loss of Smith is a major blow for quarterback Dak Prescott and the Cowboys, who were already dealing with depth issues on the offensive line. 

Fox News’ Joe Morgan contributed to this report.