Rob Havenstein Retires After 11 Seasons: A Rock on the Rams' Line and a True Badger to the Core
After 11 seasons in the NFL, Rob Havenstein is officially calling it a career. The longtime Los Angeles Rams right tackle, and former Wisconsin Badger, announced his retirement with a heartfelt message on Instagram-closing the book on a journey that spanned over a decade, more than 150 starts, and a whole lot of trench warfare in the NFL’s toughest division.
Let’s be clear: Havenstein wasn’t just a guy who played a long time-he was a foundational piece. A Super Bowl champion.
A four-time NFC West winner. A two-time NFC champion.
He was there through it all, anchoring the right side of the Rams’ offensive line with a consistency that became his trademark.
From Badger to Backbone
Before he became a mainstay in Los Angeles, Havenstein was part of Wisconsin’s proud pipeline of big, nasty offensive linemen. After redshirting his first season, he jumped into the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman and never looked back.
He earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors in 2013, then followed that up with a consensus First Team All-Big Ten and First Team All-American nod in 2014. That kind of résumé doesn’t just happen-it’s built on grit, technique, and a whole lot of film study.
His college dominance paved the way for the Rams to select him in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, back when the team was still in St. Louis.
And while plenty of players have bounced around the league chasing paydays or playing time, Havenstein never wavered. Through coaching changes, roster turnover, and even the team’s relocation to Los Angeles, he stayed loyal.
He was a Ram from start to finish-and in today’s NFL, that kind of continuity is rare.
A Steady Presence in the McVay Era
When Sean McVay took over as head coach in 2017, Havenstein became a cornerstone of the offensive line that helped reshape the Rams into contenders. Whether it was protecting Jared Goff during that 2018 Super Bowl run or giving Matthew Stafford the time to cook during their championship season, Havenstein was always in the mix-doing the dirty work that rarely makes highlight reels but wins football games.
McVay himself made it clear just how much Havenstein meant to the team, saying, "Rob has helped me grow and evolve in my nine seasons as the head coach of the Rams, and I'm so grateful for the experiences we've shared together." That’s not just coach-speak-that’s a nod to a player who brought leadership, professionalism, and toughness to the locker room every single day.
A Career Full of Moments-and Meaning
In his retirement message, Havenstein took time to reflect on the journey, giving a special shoutout to his parents and his roots. *"Mom and Dad, from when I picked up the game freshman year at Linganore, through my time at the University of Wisconsin, and still to this day, you have supported me in every venture of life.
I can't thank you enough." * It was a personal, grounded farewell from a player who always carried himself with humility and purpose.
The Rams honored him on social media with a tribute that drew praise from fans on both coasts-Badger red and Rams blue alike. And rightfully so. Havenstein wasn’t flashy, but he was the kind of player every team needs: dependable, durable, and downright tough.
The Legacy
Rob Havenstein walks away from the game with a résumé most linemen would dream of. He played 11 seasons-all with one franchise.
He started over 150 games. He helped win a Super Bowl.
And he did it all while embodying the same work ethic and loyalty that made him a star at Wisconsin.
In the trenches, where games are won and legacies are built, Havenstein was a quiet force. And now, as he steps away from football, he leaves behind a legacy of consistency, toughness, and team-first football.
Enjoy retirement, big man. You’ve earned every bit of it.