Veteran wide receiver Robert Woods announced his retirement on Instagram on Tuesday (via Adam Schefter of ESPN). The 33-year-old signed a one-day contract to retire as a member of the Rams.
A former USC Trojan, Woods entered the NFL as Buffalo’s second-round pick in 2013. He ended up spending four years as a member of the Bills, with whom he caught 203 passes for 2,451 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The California native parlayed his solid production as a Bill into a five-year, $39MM deal with the Rams in 2017. The move worked out beautifully for both parties.
Joining the Rams in Sean McVay‘s first season as their head coach, Woods racked up 56 catches for 781 yards (then a career high) and five touchdowns. Woods went on to post his three best seasons after that. He finished with between 86 to 90 receptions in each year and surpassed the 1,100-yard mark twice, including a personal-high 1,219 in 2018.
Woods’ career began going downhill when he suffered an ACL tear in practice in November 2021. The injury limited Woods to nine games and held him out for the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning playoff run.
In March 2022, several weeks after the Rams hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, they traded Woods to the Titans for a sixth-round pick. Woods played his lone 17-game season that year, but after he put up 53 catches, 527 yards and two TDs, the Titans released him.
In the wake of his Titans breakup, Woods landed a two-year deal with the AFC South rival Texans. He saw the pact through and played in 29 games, though Woods only combined for 60 catches, 629 yards and one score.
Woods stayed in the AFC when he inked a one-year, $2MM contract with the Steelers last offseason, but he didn’t crack their roster. The Steelers released Woods in late August, and he didn’t sign elsewhere all season. He’ll now wrap up an impressive 12-year career that included 683 catches, 8,233 yards and 38 TDs over 171 games.
Great career. Those early McVay years when he ran almost nothing but 11 personnel were possible in part because of Woods’ skills. Strong out of the slot, strong out wide, and one of the best blocking receivers in the league for years. One of the best dirty work players in football, but also had three straight years with over 85 catches and even notched five rushing touchdowns in his career.
Never made a Pro Bowl, but Woods has been a damn good NFL player.
You misspelled average.
Good for him staying in the league this long, making, money and commander tributing.
But guys like Terrell Owens and Julio Jones were great, would you put Woods up there?
Oh god, shut up. I’m not calling him a hall of famer or a superstar. If you think he had an average career, then you don’t have the most basic conception of what average actually is. You always act like anyone who isn’t an All-Pro is expendable and it’s always dopey, but Woods was the sort of player even the saltiest football fan should be able to respect, and going out of your way to take him down a peg on a retirement post is extra weird and stupid.
Not taking him down. He isn’t here. Just tired of people misrepresenting players here.
Also, not sure how my phone thought contributing should mean commander tributing haha.
But to refocus, you used the word great. I take issue with that. He wasn’t great. If you’re ranking guys at the position who played during his time how long is that list before you call his name?
The only thing “great” about his career was his longevity. Not many guys make it past 10 years.
I didn’t say he was a great player. I said he had a great career. He was like one of the very best role players in the NFL for years while also having a peak as a very good number two receiver. I think lots of guys who aren’t superstars or hall of famers have great careers and it’s worth celebrating them as a fan. I get that you don’t feel that way. You regularly refer to good starting players as replacement level, which is a blatant misuse of the term. I don’t care what issue you take with my wording. Calling Woods’ career average is wrong by any measure. Take your nonsense elsewhere.
Imagine telling Bills fans back in 2015 that Robert Woods would end up having a more productive career than Sammy Watkins…
Enjoy retirement