Rams’ Aaron Donald addresses if he considered retirement this offseason
Los Angeles Rams defensive superstar Aaron Donald told reporters Wednesday why he didn’t consider retiring after a 2022 season he and the club likely would prefer to forget.
“You never want to end your career the way it was last year,” Donald explained, as shared by Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “So, it never really crossed my mind. I was just trying to do everything I could to get myself healthy to be here today.”
Donald reportedly considered retirement after he earned a Super Bowl ring with the Rams in February 2022 but ultimately agreed to a reworked contract that included the three-time Defensive Player of the Year receiving an impressive raise.
However, injury issues plagued the Rams throughout this past season as they limped to a 5-12 record, and Donald’s campaign ended after just 11 games due to an ankle issue.
Simmons mentioned how the Rams parted ways with multiple noteworthy veterans earlier this offseason, and many assume the Super Bowl LVI champions are still in the early days of a rebuild that could feature both quarterback Matthew Stafford and head coach Sean McVay simply going through the motions until they retire next year.
In his latest “Football Morning in America” column, NBC Sports’ Peter King placed the Rams at No. 28 in his NFL power rankings.
“We all need somebody to push you at times,” Donald said about younger and unproven commodities inside the Los Angeles locker room. “If I’m slacking, I want them to let me know I’m slacking so I can pick it up and I can get better. That’s what it’s all about. It’s about holding each other accountable and pushing each other.”
As recently as last month, noteworthy individuals such as ESPN’s Bill Barnwell were suggesting the Rams could and maybe should explore moving Donald assuming he’d waive his no-trade clause to go to a contender.
One wonders if Donald, who turns 32 on May 23, will decide this fall he’d rather chase another ring than be part of the Rams’ roster renovation.
