WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Rams offensive lineman Rob Havenstein had family waiting for him on the field during pregame warmups in Week 9 against the Saints at SoFi Stadium.
It had been awhile since Havenstein had the opportunity to see them in that setting as an active player on game day, having missed Los Angeles' last three games with an ankle injury. They all shared hugs as Havenstein took a moment to spend time with them before resuming warmups.
"Especially that game, traffic was a little worse, so they got to the stadium a little later," Havenstein said. "And so usually at that time, I'm kind of already in there, and I just hadn't seen him yet. So she (wife Megan) was like, 'Should I still come down?' I was like, 'Yeah, come on down, so I can at least say hi to everybody.' And they came out in all the matching dresses. And it was obviously super cute. And that's, to me, what it's all about. And so for them to kind of come down on the field and say 'hi,' and kind of share a moment, it was pretty cool to have that captured. It's something we do every home game."
The Rams, too, were glad to have him back in a Week 9 win over the Saints, helping a cohesive Los Angeles offensive line keep quarterback Matthew Stafford – four touchdowns, no interceptions – clean in their 34-10 victory. Stafford was only sacked once in the Rams' 42-26 win over the 49ers last Sunday.
Through the rehab process, Havenstein was honest with head coach Sean McVay about "return to performance" versus "return to play" – the former being what the Rams prioritize as they work a player back to full health. As challenging as being transparent about his ankle was for Havenstein, he said it was a credit to the environment McVay has created and the head coach having his back.
"Yeah, it's tough," Havenstein said. "… You're kind of raised and taught (to) kind of maybe hold some of that back. But it was, if anything, it's just a testament to the environment Sean has created about, like, listen, I can be open and honest with you, and that's something that he preaches. Maybe it's a hard thing to do, but it was – I know Sean's got my back through thick and thin. And we've been at this a long time, me and him, so I was just completely honest with him about how I was feeling, mentally, physically, spiritually, whatever it need be. And I think we all kind of came up with the best possible plan to get out there and to play the best ball."
Even while sidelined, Havenstein was intentional about supporting Warren McClendon Jr. and ensuring McClendon was in a position to succeed while starting in Havenstein's absence – something that McVay said says a lot about Havenstein.
"Both of those guys done a great job," quarterback Matthew Stafford said. "Obviously, Rob has a ton of experience. He's played in this offense for a long time. He's played at a high level for a long time. And I think his demeanor, his communication, his steadiness adds to our execution up front."
All of those traits will be important against a Seahawks defense that generates the third-highest pressure rate in the NFL entering Week 11 per Next Gen Stats, anchored by running stunts at one of the league's highest rates and blitzing at one of its lowest.
"Rob is such a tough competitor, you sometimes have to protect these warriors from themselves, but him being back out there, and I think really, he's earned the right where you're able to talk to him, he's able to give you feedback in your way and everything, to be able to make collaborative decisions," McVay said. "We're glad to be able to have him back. He does a great job. He's a great competitor and I think he really cherishes and enjoys being out there and being able to go compete with his teammates while continuing to elevate his room and our team as a whole."
