'I Had a Say in Trade': Robert Woods Joins Titans, Praises Rams
After five seasons with the Rams, Robert Woods this week was traded to the Tennessee Titans following the signing of Allen Robinson, concluding the tenure of a fan favorite in Los Angeles. And it happened with the cooperation of the Rams and Woods.
"They told me I'd have a say in where I'd be traded," Woods said this week at his introductory news conference in Tennessee. "I did my research ...''
The Titans needed a veteran wide receiver after they released Julio Jones. The Rams could move on from Woods due to the Robinson deal.
L.A. only got a sixth-round pick in the swap. But they certainly won the respect of Woods, because he had a voice in the matter.
"They're a top-performing team,'' Woods said of the Titans, "and the Coach of the Year [Mike Vrabel], so joining this team is beneficial for my career."
The NFL is a business, and the Rams felt that signing Robinson and trading away Woods would maximize their chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions. Despite that, it was still emotional for the organization and fans to see Woods go, while the Rams made sure they traded him to the best possible situation, all in an effort to do right by the player.
Woods was not only a fan favorite but one of the most loved guys on the team, as he was seen being embraced by Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp in an emotional moment following the Rams beating the 49ers in the NFC Championship to advance to Super Bowl LVI. Not only did Kupp share an emotional moment with Woods after the NFC Championship Game, but he also penned a heartfelt goodbye to Woods upon learning he had been traded.
Feb 16, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp and outside linebacker Leonard Floyd celebrate during the Los Angeles Rams Championship Parade. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Now, as his Rams journey comes to an end, the team couldn't send Woods off in silence. Instead, on Wednesday morning the Rams took to Twitter to offer a tribute video to Woods (see here), with highlights spanning all of his five seasons as a Ram.
Woods, while traded for what should be a better future for both him and the Rams, will always be a fan favorite in Rams Nation, as seen by his tribute video. ... and based on the structure of this trade, he and the Rams will always sort of favor one another as well.
