THOUSAND OAKS — Time ran out Friday on the Rams’ hopes of having tight end Tyler Higbee and offensive lineman Joe Noteboom ready to play in the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Both were placed on injured reserve, Higbee with a knee sprain suffered in the Rams’ victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game, Noteboom with a chest injury sustained near the end of their win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the week before.
As expected, the Rams activated running back Darrell Henderson (knee) and nose tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day (chest) from IR.
“Those guys are big losses,” Rams coach Sean McVay said of Higbee and Noteboom. “They’ve been huge parts of how we got here.”
Higbee, who played in the Rams’ Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots three years ago, started 15 of the 17 regular-season games on either side of a stint on the COVID-19 reserve list. His 61 receptions (for 560 yards and five touchdowns) were second on the team to Cooper Kupp’s league-leading 145.
Noteboom, who had a small special-teams role in the Rams’ last Super Bowl, became the offensive line’s valuable sixth man this season. He started when tackles Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein were out and was used as an extra blocker in the running game at key moments.
McVay made sure to acknowledge several Rams who played important roles this season but will miss the Super Bowl on injured reserve.
“That’s a thing I don’t think you want to get lost,” McVay said. “You talk about guys like Tyler Higbee, Joe Noteboom, (safety) Jordan Fuller, (wide receiver) Robert Woods, (tight end) Johnny Mundt. There’s been so many guys that have been instrumental to getting us to this point.”
CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH
After their injured reserve moves, the Rams declared all other players good to go for the Super Bowl, with safety Taylor Rapp ready to return to action after missing three games with a concussion.
The Bengals’ injury report listed tight end C.J. Uzomah (knee) as questionable, but he’s on track to play, Coach Zac Taylor said.
WHIT’S END?
Whitworth, who hasn’t committed to retiring or playing again next season, hinted strongly that the Super Bowl will be his last game if the Rams win.
“What an unreal way to walk off. I don’t think there’s anything else I would have to do,” Whitworth, 40, said Friday.
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SO THERE’S A CHANCE?
Safety Eric Weddle, who ended a two-year retirement to join the Rams in the playoffs and try to win a Super Bowl, reiterated his intention to retire again win or lose.
“The planets (would) have to align like they did this time around, for both (Rams starting) safeties to go down,” Weddle said. “I would put it at a .000001 chance.”
SCHOOL’S OUT
For both teams, who went to training camp in July, Friday was the season’s last full practice.
“We talked about it for a second, just making sure we were taking full advantage of that moment,” Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey said. “It was a good little motivational factor to make sure we finished practice off the right way.”