Aaron Donald Announces His Retirement After A Standout 10-year Career With The Rams – News18

LOS ANGELES: Defensive lineman Aaron Donald has introduced his retirement after a standout 10-year profession with the Los Angeles Rams.

The three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year made his stunning announcement on social media Friday.

The 32-12 months-previous Donald spent his total profession with the Rams, who drafted him within the first spherical in 2014 out of Pitt. The Pittsburgh native was chosen for 10 Pro Bowls and eight All-Pro first groups, and he gained the award because the league’s high defensive participant in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

“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,” Donald mentioned in a press release. “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.”

Although smaller than many high defensive tackles, Donald used his extraordinary athleticism and recreation savvy to wreak havoc on offenses all through his profession. He was the cornerstone of each Rams protection throughout his tenure, drawing recurring double-groups away from his teammates and nonetheless racking up a franchise-report 111 sacks, third within the NFL amongst lively gamers.

After profitable the NFL’s defensive rookie of the 12 months award in 2014, Donald reached the height of his stardom after the Rams franchise moved from St. Louis again to Los Angeles in 2016. He had a profession-excessive 20 1/2 sacks in 2018 on the way in which to his first Super Bowl look underneath coach Sean McVay.

He then performed a significant position within the Rams’ run to a Super Bowl victory three years later, most famously making use of the stress that pressured Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow to throw incomplete at midfield on the Bengals’ closing play of Los Angeles’ 23-20 victory in Super Bowl 56.

“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,” McVay mentioned in a press release. “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.”

Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt are the one different gamers to win the defensive participant of the 12 months award thrice.

Donald was slated to make over $34 million this season underneath the phrases of a contract that was renegotiated practically two years in the past. Although Donald had reportedly flirted with retirement for the previous two seasons in personal, the Rams and Donald hadn’t publicly acknowledged his departure was an actual risk.

But over the previous two months, Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator Raheem Morris left for the Atlanta Falcons’ head teaching job, and line of defense coach Eric Henderson left for the same job at Southern California. Henderson and Donald are shut buddies.

“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 proprietor Stan Kroenke mentioned. “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.”

Donald had 543 profession tackles, together with 176 tackles for loss, and 24 pressured fumbles. He had 34 tackles and 6 sacks in his 11 profession postseason video games.

Donald additionally was extremely sturdy, lacking solely six video games as a result of harm in his 10-year profession — all of them late within the 2022 season when the Rams have been already out of playoff rivalry.

Only one participant is now left on the Rams’ roster who additionally performed in St. Louis: Rob Havenstein, who remains to be the Rams’ beginning proper deal with.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)