Three time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald has announced his retirement from the NFL via social media on Friday.
“Throughout my career, I have given my everything to football both mentally and physically — 365 days a year was dedicated to becoming the best possible player I could be. I respected this game like no other and I’m blessed to be able to conclude my NFL career with the same franchise that drafted me. Not many people get drafted to a team, win a World Championship with that team and retire with that team. I do not, and will not, take that for granted,” Donald said.
One of only 3 players to win the Defensive Player of the Year award 3 times throughout his career, Donald ends his career as an 8x 1st Team All-Pro, 10x Pro Bowler, and a Super Bowl champion. A sure fire first ballot Hall of Famer, the 32 year old walks away from the game with his health in tact, which was a large reason for his decision.
“The great players in our league elevate the people around them and Aaron has modeled the way for our team as long as I’ve been with the Rams,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said in a prepared statement. “He’s an elite competitor, someone who leads by example in a way that’s authentic to him, and an exceptional teammate who inspires everyone around him to be the best version of themselves.”
“As great of a player he is, he’s an even better person. He is truly one of one and epitomizes everything that’s right about sports. I will forever cherish the memories we’ve made and will always be grateful for how he poured everything into this game and into our team. He’s meant a lot to me personally and to my family.”
“We are so grateful for Aaron’s dedication to greatness and for leading our franchise on and off the field for the past decade,” Rams owner Stan Kroenke added. “He has left his mark on generations of football fans and his accomplishments, coupled with his work ethic and passion, continue to inspire his teammates, coaches and athletes across the globe. It is a privilege to have witnessed one of the greatest players of all time and we are proud that Aaron Donald will forever be part of NFL history as a member of the Rams.”
Over the course of his 154 game NFL career, Donald had 21 passes defended, 24 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, 111 sacks (2nd most by a DT all-time), 340 solo tackles, 203 assists on tackles, 176 tackles for loss and 260 QB hits.
With his retirement, Los Angeles not finds itself with a massive hole along their defensive line as Bobby Brown III, Cory Durden, and Kobie Turner will hope to fill the void in the interim. It remains possible that the Rams could seek a replacement for Donald via the free agent market, or could look to the NFL Draft to add to their DL.
Los Angeles currently holds the 19th overall selection on draft night.
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.