Right before Super Bowl LVI kicked off in SoFi Stadium, there were rumblings that it could be the final games for Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and star defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
McVay had given cryptic answers when asked about his future as a head coach, with some citing his desire to spend time with his family and even pursue TV broadcast opportunities. Donald was also non-committal when asked about his playing future, also discussing what family time would mean for him as well as potentially retiring on top.
Fortunately, both McVay and Donald put those fears to bed when they publicly announced their desire to return to football in their respective roles. The Rams made sure to lock up Donald for the foreseeable future when they handed him a lucrative three-year, $95 million deal while McVay expects to receive a contract extension before Week 1 of the 2022 season.
Aside from the money, all the success and winning Donald has experienced with McVay at the helm speaks to their fruitful partnership, so it was no surprise to hear him say he wasn’t going anywhere as long as McVay is on the sidelines, via NFL Network:
As far as @aarondonald99 is concerned, he and Sean McVay are a packaged deal. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/WNVXzxVLtw
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) July 30, 2022
Since McVay took over in 2017, Donald has been named NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times, made five Pro Bowl teams, been named First-team All-Pro five times and most recently won a Super Bowl championship. That is one of the most impressive runs for any player in NFL history, and Donald should continue to see the accolades pile up with McVay helping him along the way.
Looking at just the 2022 campaign, McVay and Donald are well-positioned for another deep playoff run with the core of the roster intact. The two have been pillars for the Rams’ resurgence in L.A. and it will be exciting to see just how far they can continue to take it.
