Rams RT Rob Havenstein is back in practice after a 2-month injury absence for the longtime starter

By Canadian Press on January 22, 2026.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams opened the 21-day practice window for veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein on Thursday, creating the possibility for their longtime starter to return from injured reserve this season.

Havenstein is the longest-tenured member of the Rams’ current roster, and he has been a stalwart starter at right tackle when healthy since his rookie season in St. Louis in 2015. He has started 148 games over 11 seasons for the Rams along with 13 playoff starts, including two Super Bowls.

But injuries have limited Havenstein to 18 games over the past two seasons. He has played in just seven games this season, last appearing in the Rams’ 21-19 victory over Seattle at SoFi Stadium in mid-November before being sidelined by an ankle injury and knee bursitis.

The Rams (14-5) visit the Seahawks (16-3) on Sunday for the NFC championship game.

After spending most of the past two months watching from the sideline during practice, Havenstein was back on the field with the Rams at their training complex in Woodland Hills on Thursday, participating in warmups during the brief portion open to reporters.

Warren McClendon Jr. has generally played well since replacing Havenstein in the starting lineup this season, although he had a few glaring mistakes in the Rams’ 20-17 overtime victory at Chicago last Sunday in the divisional round.

Havenstein and tight end Tyler Higbee are the only players who have been on the Rams’ roster for coach Sean McVay’s entire nine-year tenure, including both of Los Angeles’ previous Super Bowl playoff runs in the 2018 season and the 2021 season.

“Rob and Tyler, these are rare humans,” McVay said Thursday. “They’re great football players, but they’re great leaders, and they have such respect from the locker room. … You look at the wisdom that Rob has in the meeting room to pour into Warren and really our offensive line as a whole. These are two all-time guys. These are legacy Rams. Obviously they’re special to me.”

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Greg Beacham, The Associated Press