Just like Sean McVay, there was some talk in the offseason that Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald could decide to hang it up for good.
Since winning Super Bowl LVI, rumors have swirled about Donald’s pending retirement from the NFL and he never seemed to put the talk to bed completely as he’s left things ambiguous enough to make it feel like a real possibility. After a dismal 2022 season where the Rams failed to make the playoffs, the chances of Donald seemed greater than ever.
However, Donald decided he didn’t want to end his career on a low-note and announced he would be returning for the 2023 campaign where he’ll have his work cut out for him trying to lead such a young and inexperienced defense. Los Angeles made it a priority to try and find talent supplement their pillars like Donald, though it’s going to take time for them to blossom into players who can help them get back to the postseason.
Despite the Rams’ expected struggles in 2023, players like Von Miller still are going to be wary when talking to Donald on the field. When listing his top-five trash talkers in the league, Miller had Donald as one of them, via Bleacher Report:
Miller also had Jalen Ramsey, Stefon Diggs, Josh Allen and Garrett Bolles on his list, all players he has had his teammates during his illustrious career. When it comes to Donald, though, he isn’t one to instigate any of the trash talk but has no problem dishing it back when an opponent tries him.
Despite getting older, Donald remains the premier defensive player in the NFL regardless of what the Rams’ record is. On any given week, the defensive tackle can single-handedly take over a game and has thus earned the respect of his peers.
Getting Donald going by trash talking him is never a smart move as he’ll typically have the last laugh, though there could be plenty of it coming with the Rams projected to struggle.
Aaron Donald expects young defensive players to step up as leaders
Donald is the last man standing of sorts after Los Angeles decided to part ways with several of their veterans in order to cut money off the books. Without them, Donald becomes the defense’s unquestioned leader but he is also expecting several of the young players to step up in place of the older players.
