ST. LOUIS – The upcoming NFL season will be ninth without the NFL Rams football in St. Louis, and the cast of players with former ties to St. Louis continues to dwindle each season.
Several former St. Louis Rams players, including well-known names in Aaron Donald, Tavon Austin, and Nick Foles, have announced their retirements during the 2024 offseason.
An NFL athlete’s career can be relatively short. According to Statista, the average NFL career lasts about 3.3 years.
With the majority of the St. Louis Rams players no longer in the NFL, let’s take a deep dive and explore which former St. Louis Rams stars are still actively on the NFL roster.
Rob Havenstein, OT, Los Angeles Rams
Rob Havenstein joined the Rams during the team’s last season in St. Louis, when the team drafted him in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft with the 57th overall pick out of the University of Wisconsin.
Havenstein has remained with the Rams throughout his nine-year career in the NFL and was the starting right tackle when the Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl in 2022.
Greg Zuerlein, K, New York Jets
Nicknamed ‘Greg the Leg’, Greg Zuerlein was once a member of the St. Louis Rams from 2012–2015 after the team drafted him in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft with the 171st overall pick. Zuerlein remained a member of the Los Angeles Rams after the team’s departure from St. Louis until the 2020 NFL season.
After leaving the Los Angeles Rams, Zuerlein had a two-year stint with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 and 2021 and has since been a member of the New York Jets. Zuerlein recently signed a two-year, $8.4 million contract in the 2024 offseason to remain with the Jets, which includes $4.2 million guaranteed.
Throughout his 12-year career, Zuerlein has an average field-goal percentage of 83.1%. In 2017, he was also named an All-Pro and participated in the Pro Bowl.
Rodney McLeod, S, Cleveland Browns
Rodney McLeod was once a member of the St. Louis Rams from 2012–2015 after signing as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Virginia in 2012.
Following the St. Louis Rams departure to LA and McLeod’s last season with the team in 2015, McLeod signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016, where he was able to win a Super Bowl in 2017.
McLeod went on to play six seasons with the Eagles, from 2016 to 2021, before having a brief stint with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022.
McLeod has been a member of the Cleveland Browns since joining the team in 2023. According to ESPN, McLeod announced that his 13th year in the league will be his last, as he will retire after the 2024 NFL season.
Throughout his career, McLeod has played in a total of 166 games and has accumulated 508 tackles, 18 interceptions, and 2 sacks.
Johnny Hekker, P, Carolina Panthers
Considered one of the best active punters in the NFL, Johnny Hekker was once a member of the St. Louis Rams from 2012–2015 after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon State in 2012. Following the team’s departure from St. Louis, Hekker remained with the Los Angeles Rams until the 2022 NFL season.
After departing from the Los Angeles Rams, Hekker signed a three-year, $7.6 million contract with the Carolina Panthers in March 2022, where he still plays today.
Hekker has accomplished a lot in his career. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, a four-time first-team All-Pro, and a Super Bowl Champion as a member of the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. Hekker also holds the record for the longest punt in Super Bowl history, with a 65-yard punt in 2019 against the Patriots.
Case Keenum, QB, Houston Texans
Case Keenum was a member of the St. Louis Rams during the team’s final season in St. Louis in 2015. Keenum was traded away from the Houston Texans in 2015 for a 2016 seventh-round pick.
Keenum remained a member of the Los Angeles Rams for one season in 2016 before leaving to sign a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings in 2017.
As a member of the Minnesota Vikings, Keenum threw the famous 61-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Stefon Diggs in the final seconds of a playoff game against the New Orleans Saints in 2018, which is known as the “Minneapolis Miracle.”
After playing for the Vikings for one season, Keenum has had different stints with a variety of different teams, including the Denver Broncos, Washington Commanders, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, and back to the Houston Texans, where he remains today.
Throughout his eleven-year career, Keenum has served primarily as a backup quarterback. He has appeared in a total of 80 games, accumulating 15,175 passing yards, 79 touchdowns, and a QB rating of 84.6.
