WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. There aren't many men people would rather ride into battle with than Rob Havenstein. Why? Because for the last 11 seasons, Havenstein has been leading from the front, operating as a defining link from Jeff Fisher's roster to Sean McVay's early success, then bridging the game from McVay's Super Bowl LVI squad to the 2025 unit that seems destined to take the franchise back to the mountain top.
However, Havenstein is set to miss time as he was put on injured reserve on Wednesday. Warren McClendon is set to start in his place with Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur talking about the role Havenstein will play in McClendon's preparation.
“Rob’s a stud," stated LaFleur. 'He's a dude. He's a dude out there on Sundays. He's as tough as they come. I've always had respect from afar. [Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur] My brother, when he was here, Rob was obviously here. I've always known about Rob and then just behind the scenes how he helps those guys."
Rob Havenstein
November 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (79) after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
"It’s hard to explain in terms of what exactly goes on in those meetings. He's a quiet guy by nature, but he has a lot of information and he's willing to share that information. I know in his own way, he's helped. He's helped Warren sometimes just by his actions. Seen is better than said and if you watch Rob, that's exactly what a right tackle should look like and I know those guys take note.”
I asked Puka Nacua about the offenses operation while dealing with the loss of both Havenstein and Tyler Higbee.
“You never want to see anybody go down, especially with some of the stuff we've seen on the opposite side of the ball," stated Nacua. I think the leadership that those two have in their room and the ‘next man up ‘mentality that we have."
Puka Nacua
Nov 16, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) runs the ball during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
"I think of ‘big Rob’ and ‘Higs’ of how much of the communication I've had with them being out there on the field, but I know that they have in their rooms. Tyler Higbee, I feel like sometimes is a little bit of a quiet guy but I know in that meeting room he's communicating with the young guys who are getting a lot of these reps for some of the first times."
Havenstein looks to come back for the playoffs or potentially the end of the season. In the meantime, he remains dedicated to the team effort, but to be fair, no one expected anything less from the franchise pillar.
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