Glenn Travelle Wharton (born May 19, 1981) is an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...

offensive line In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numb ...

coach for the

Washington Commanders The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) E ...

of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

(NFL). He played college football as an offensive lineman at the University of South Carolina. Wharton was drafted by the

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...

in the third round of the

2004 NFL Draft The 2004 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24–25, 2004 at the Theater at ...

and also played for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Early years

Wharton was a

Shrine Bowl The Shrine Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game. The first game was played on December 18, 1948, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas, between Hardin–Simmons University and Ouachita Baptist College.Foldesy, Jody. "Bowl ...

participant following his senior year at Hillcrest High School in

Simpsonville, South Carolina Simpsonville is a city in Greenville County, South Carolina, Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. It is part of the Greenville, South Carolina, Greenville–Mauldin, South Carolina, Mauldin–Easley, South Carolina, Easley Gree ...

. He earned all-area and all-state recognition as a senior.

College career

Travelle Wharton started 45 of the 47 games he played at left tackle for the University of South Carolina. He did not allow a sack after the second game of his freshman season in 2000, a span of 45 contests. In 2003, as a senior, he started all 12 games at left tackle. Wharton earned second-team All-

Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities o ...

recognition and was chosen to play in the

Senior Bowl The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game played annually in late January or early February in Mobile, Alabama, which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those players who have completed their college eligibility. Pr ...

. He was a team captain and was the lone returning starter on the

that allowed only 10 sacks the entire season.

Professional career

Carolina Panthers

He started the final 11 games at left guard as a

rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...

in 2004 after being inactive for the first five contests. He was the lone rookie starter on the offensive line in 2004 that yielded only 33 sacks, the third-lowest total in Carolina history. He started all 16 games during the 2005 season. In the first game of the 2006 season during a 20−6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons he suffered a torn ACL and MCL and was placed on injured reserve thus ending his season. He returned to start all 16 games at left tackle during the 2007 campaign. Before the 2008 season, on February 14, 2008, Wharton signed a 6-year extension to remain with the Panthers. The deal had a total dollar value of $36 million and included $12 million dollars in guaranteed money. Travelle went on to start all 14 games he appeared in during the 2008 season at left guard, missing two due to injury. He was released on March 13, 2012.

Cincinnati Bengals

Wharton signed with Cincinnati Bengals on March 17, 2012. He was placed on injured reserve on August 24, 2012, after suffering a knee injury. He was released by the Bengals on July 22, 2013.

Carolina Panthers (second stint)

On August 25, 2013, Wharton signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers. Wharton announced his retirement on July 29, 2014.

Coaching career

Wharton was an offensive quality control coach for

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

during their 2015 season. On January 29, 2018, the

signed Wharton to be their offensive line coach. In 2020, he joined the

Washington Football Team The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) E ...

as their assistant offensive line coach. This move reunited Wharton with newly hired head coach

Ron Rivera Ronald Eugene Rivera (born January 7, 1962), nicknamed "Riverboat Ron", is an American football head coach for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He attended the University of California, Berkeley in the early 198 ...

, who he worked under with the Panthers.

Personal life

Wharton is married with three daughters and a son.

References

External links

*
Washington Commanders bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wharton, Travelle 1981 births Living people Players of American football from Greenville, South Carolina American football offensive guards American football offensive tackles South Carolina Gamecocks football players Carolina Panthers players Cincinnati Bengals players Carolina Panthers coaches Washington Commanders coaches Washington Football Team coaches