The Los Angeles Rams’ impressive offseason continued this week as the team reworked Aaron Donald’s contract to make him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history.
Donald’s extension adds on three years and around $40 million to his contract, and more importantly, ensures he won’t be retiring any time soon.
Two days later, the Rams rewarded Cooper Kupp with a three-year contract extension, giving him a well-deserved raise on the heels of a historic season in which he captured the receiving triple crown.
The moves ensure the Rams will be in the best position to defend their Super Bowl title next season. That’s bad news for the rest of the NFC West, who were hoping to see L.A.’s offseason go in a different direction.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury revealed during a recent press conference that he jokingly tried convincing Donald and Kupp to not sign contract extensions with the Rams, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk:
“I did my best to try and convince Aaron Donald to retire,” Kingbury said. “Obviously, that didn’t work. I thought, you know, I told him he’s accomplished all he can accomplish and it’s a great idea to go out on your own terms, all that. And then I told Kupp, I was basically like, I know you and Sean are friends, but stop taking that McVay discount. Hold out for the first three weeks and get something sorted out, and you can tell that did not work out, either.”
Kingsbury presumably approached Donald and Kupp at Rams head coach Sean McVay’s wedding earlier this month. However, Kingsbury made the comments in jest and wasn’t actually trying to sabotage L.A.’s offseason.
McVay and Kingsbury are close friends and often play jokes on one another. In 2019, McVay played an April fools’ prank on Kingsbury, and two years later, the Cardinals head coach made a playful jab at the Rams head coach’s NFL Draft setup.
