One of the top moments of the Los Angeles Rams 2021 season was their win in the NFC Championship Game over their NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers. Prior to them meeting in the penultimate game of the season, the 49ers had won their last six against the Rams.
Despite the Rams having Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey and a top defense each year — and the 49ers having subpar quarterback play — San Francisco found a way to win each time. So when the 49ers faced the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round, many Rams fans were torn as to who they should root for.
On one hand, facing the Packers in Green Bay in the NFC Championship is a daunting task. Having a home game for the NFC title game is preferred, but not against a team that is 6-0 in their last six against L.A.
The choice wasn’t difficult for Donald, who hoped for the opportunity to topple the 49ers on their way to a Super Bowl victory, according to Greg Bishop of Sports Illustrated:
Donald’s parents were visiting him in L.A. the week of the Rams’ playoff game in Tampa. They were sitting outside when he flung open the patio door. If the Rams managed to topple the Bucs that Sunday, they would, most figured, face the top-seeded Packers. Not Donald. Of course he knew as well as anyone that the Rams hadn’t beaten the 49ers since 2018. But he told his parents to root for San Francisco. He wanted to go through them. “That’s my wish,” he said, eyes narrowing, smirk vanishing into something like a glare. He shut the patio door hard enough that it rattled—“like a mic drop,” Archie says—then stalked off, missing his father’s careful-what-you-wish-for warning.
While lounging in his hotel room, Donald rooted for his division rival, yelling at the TV. When the Niners delivered the upset he desired, he went to bed “with a smile on my face.” Jaeda called before he nodded off, reminding dad of his promise. She still planned to collect.
As we all know, Donald got his wish, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the next day, and setting up a date with the 49ers at SoFi Stadium. There, the Rams conquered their demons with Donald making the winning play, sending the 49ers home and earning a place in their second Super Bowl in four years.
Donald was absolutely dominant throughout this run, and even more so in the Super Bowl, when the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in a thrilling game.
Donald did not want retirement rumors public
The ongoing rumors of Donald considering retirement after the Rams Super Bowl win were not meant to be a public story. Instead, it started as a private conversation with Rodney Harrison, who then turned around and reported it in the hours before the championship game.
