Super Bowl champion wide receiver Robert Woods signed a one-day contract on Feb. 17 to retire as a member of the Los Angeles Rams after 12 seasons in the NFL.
Woods was the son of an NFL wide receiver and a native of southern California. He spent five years with his hometown team, appearing in a Super Bowl and winning one as a member of the Rams.
“After 27 unforgettable years of pouring my heart into this game, and 13 incredible years in the NFL – It’s time for me to step away from playing the sport that has given me everything,” Woods wrote in a Feb. 17 post on Instagram. “Football has never been a game to me – it has been my passion, my purpose, and my lifelong dream. I cherished every moment my cleats touched the grass. Every time I stepped onto the field, I was determined to leave a piece of myself in every snap.”
A native of Gardena, California, Woods is the son of Robert Christopher Woods, who was drafted for the Houston Oilers in 1978 and later spent time with the Detroit Lions in 1979. He played high school football at Junípero Serra High School in Gardena, and accepted a scholarship to play for the University of Southern California. In three college seasons, he caught 253 passes for 2,930 yards and 32 touchdowns; he added 14 rushes for 142 yards.
Woods was drafted by the Buffalo Bills out of USC in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons there and had his best season with the team in 2014, catching 65 passes for 699 yards and 5 touchdowns.
He signed a five-year deal with the Rams in 2017 and became one of the team’s top receivers.
In his first season with the team, he caught 56 balls for 781 yards and 5 TDs. He had the best season of his career in 2018, catching 86 passes for 1,219 yards and 6 scores; it was his first 1,000+ yard season. He also had a career year as a runner, with 19 carries for 157 yards and a touchdown. The Rams appeared in Super Bowl LIII that season, but lost to the New England Patriots 13–3.
He caught 90 passes in both 2019 and 2020; he had his second thousand-yard season in 2019 with 1,134 and 2 TDs; he had 936 yards and 6 scores in 2020. He also had 100+ rushing yards in both seasons.
In 2021, he had 45 catches for 556 yards and 4 touchdowns, but he played just 9 games before tearing his ACL in practice, cutting his season short. Without him, the Rams went on to win Super Bowl LVI behind Offensive Player of the Year and receiving triple crown winner Cooper Kupp and veteran Odell Beckham Jr.
“Lifting the Lombardi Trophy and becoming a Super Bowl champion was the dream I held onto as a child, and having the blessing to reach two and win one in 2022 is something I will treasure forever,” Woods wrote on Instagram.
He was traded to the Tennessee Titans in 2022. He had 53 receptions for 527 yards and 2 touchdowns, and was the Titans’ leading receiver. He signed a two-year deal with the Houston Texans in 2023. He caught 40 passes for 426 yards and a touchdown. In 2024, he caught just 20 passes for 203 yards.
He was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2025 offseason and training camp, but was released as part of the final roster cuts. He was re-signed to the practice squad, but was released before the season.
The Rams also lost offensive tackle Rob Havenstein to retirement. Havenstein was drafted by the then-St. Louis Rams in 2015, and spent his entire career with the team.
“11 years, 150+ starts, 4 time captain, 4 NFC West Championships, 2 NFC Championships and 1x Super Bowl Champion,” Havenstein wrote in a Feb. 15 post on Instagram. “What a ride it’s been! I can look back on my career and smile knowing I have given everything I had and more to the game I love. In saying that, I am officially retiring from the NFL.”
