The Los Angeles Rams capped off an incredible 2021 season with a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals to secure an NFL Championship in Super Bowl LVI. While Cooper Kupp was rightfully named MVP of the Super Bowl, L.A. would not have had a chance without the otherworldly play of Aaron Donald.
Donald — despite facing double and triple-teams for much of the game — was an absolute menace on the Rams’ defensive line. He finished with two sacks and three QB hits, including two game-winning defensive stops in the final minute.
On third and short, Donald held back running back Semaje Perine from securing a first down. Then, on fourth-and-one, Donald delivered a hit to quarterback Joe Burrow, forcing an incompletion and giving the Rams a Super Bowl victory.
All of this super-human play came amid rumors that Donald would seriously consider retirement if the Rams were able to win the Super Bowl. Given the result, Donald was asked about his playing future, according to Brady Henderson of ESPN:
“I’m just in the moment right now,” he said. “I’m enjoying this with my family. I promised my daughter this when she was 5 years old, to play in the confetti … so I’m just in the moment right now. I’m going to enjoy this with my teammates, my family and I’m just going to be in the moment and enjoy this today, for a couple days, how about that? It’s a blessing.”
Donald did not explicitly deny any rumors about retirement, but instead stayed focused on the greatest accomplishment of his illustrious career.
“It means everything,” Donald said of being a Super Bowl champion. “This organization drafted me eight years ago to have an opportunity to help bring this here, to start in St. Louis and have our struggles and then come to L.A. and be able to build something special, bring in Coach McVay — one thing I told him when he got here, before I had the opportunity to play for him and get to know him, I told him as long as he’s here, I want to continue to be a part of this organization and help build on the legacy.
“We’re building a legacy. Legacies are built not from individual stats, but from team success. The ultimate goal is to be a world champion. I’ve been saying that for the past few years. To finally get the opportunity to feel this, be living in it right now, this time, this moment — it’s hard to put it in words right now.”
If Donald does retire, he’ll go out as one of the greatest players to ever play the game of football. His eight-year resume is unmatched throughout NFL history and he is likely to be a near-unanimous first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Donald has won three Defensive Player of the Year awards, a Defensive Rookie of the Year, has received eight Pro Bowl selections, and has made the All-Pro First Team seven times. He was also selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2010s despite not entering the league until 2014.
If he chooses to come back, he’ll return to the Rams as perhaps the best player in the NFL right now, giving him and L.A. another chance to hoist the Lombardi trophy. It’s unclear when a decision will be made publicly.
Sean McVay committed to Rams
Donald is not the only Rams figurehead facing questions about his future. Rams head coach Sean McVay was also the subject of retirement rumors throughout Super Bowl week. However, he swiftly denied those rumors by stating that he was committed to the Rams and to coaching beyond the 2021 season.
