Dominant Donald announces his career’s end
ANGELES — For ten years, Aaron Donald destroyed NFL offences by consistently double-teaming quarterbacks, bruising ball carriers, and generally flattening them. He guided the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl win by being unwavering, dependable, and incredibly resourceful.
And Donald decided it was enough after ten years of domination on Friday.
After an incredible 10-year career, the most decorated defensive lineman of his time has announced his retirement.
The three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year made his somewhat surprising announcement on social media. He doesn’t plan to have a retirement news conference or any public farewell, but his impact on the Rams and the NFL is already indelible.
The 32-year-old Donald spent his entire career with the Rams, who drafted him in the first round in 2014 out of Pitt. The Pittsburgh native was selected for 10 Pro Bowls and eight All-Pro first teams, and he won the award as the league’s top defensive player in 2017, 2018 and 2020.
“Throughout my career, I have given my everything to football both mentally and physically — 365 days a year was dedicated to becoming the best possible player I could be,” Donald said in a statement. “I respected this game like no other, and I’m blessed to be able to conclude my NFL career with the same franchise that drafted me. Not many people get drafted to a team, win a world championship with that team and retire with that team. I do not, and will not, take that for granted.”
Throughout his career, Donald, while being smaller than many of the best defensive tackles, wrecked havoc on offences with his exceptional athleticism and game sense. Throughout his time with the Rams, he was the cornerstone of the defence, forcing regular double teams to switch attention from his teammates while still amassing a franchise-high 111 sacks—third most among active players in the NFL.
Following the Rams’ 2016 relocation back to Los Angeles from St. Louis, Donald achieved the height of his fame as the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year in 2014. In 2018, he recorded a career-high 20 1/2 sacks while making his Super Bowl debut under head coach Sean McVay.