The Los Angeles Rams lost one of their greatest players in franchise history when Aaron Donald announced his retirement after a stellar career that spanned 10 seasons.
Donald considered retiring after the 2022 season but decided to stick around for one more year. The future Hall of Famer said this past March that he finally went through with the decision after realizing his passion for football was no longer there.
Although he has stepped away from the game, Donald is still just 33 years old and could easily make a comeback if he wanted to. Some around the league believe he could return to the Rams for a playoff run this year, similar to Eric Weddle during the 2021 season.
However, Donald reiterated that he has no plans to unretire during a recent appearance on the “25/10Show” that is hosted by former Philadelphia Eagles teammates LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson:
“It’s good, man. Staying busy, obviously. For life after football, building an empire, being with the family. But overall, feel good. No second-guessing nothing at all. I know the world’s talking about, ‘He might come back for a playoff run if the Rams make it.’ But I’m like, I’m done. I’m at peace with everything.”
It’s hard to fault Donald for not wanting to return, especially after already accomplishing virtually everything possible and giving his absolute all to the game of football.
Donald made the Pro Bowl in all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Rams, won the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award three times and additionally was selected to eight All-Pro first teams.
Donald totaled 543 tackles, 111 sacks, 176 tackles for loss and 24 forced fumbles in his career with the Rams, helping the team win Super Bowl LVI over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Rams general manager Les Snead previously said he would leave the door open for Donald if he wanted to come out of retirement, but does not expect it to happen.
Rams video: Aaron Donald defeats LeSean McCoy in race
After the interview, McCoy challenged Donald to a race and was defeated. In most cases, a running back should have no trouble beating a defensive tackle in a race.
However, Donald isn’t a typical defensive tackle, as his speed and strength made him one of the most gifted athletes in NFL history.
Donald’s win is even more impressive when considering that he outran McCoy while wearing jeans. McCoy challenged Donald to a rematch, so it will be interesting to see if the Rams legend is able to beat him again.
