No matter how you slice it, Aaron Donald is one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history. Now, the clock will start on his inevitable Hall of Fame induction, as the Los Angeles Rams legend announced his retirement on Friday afternoon in a statement and a video posted to his Twitter account.
Cheers to what’s next. Extending a big thank you to the Rams and all of the fans for your support over these last 10 years. Much love.
pic.twitter.com/edGxkUYdLz
— AD_99 (@AaronDonald97) March 15, 2024
The Rams posted about his retirement as well with a graphic that sums things up pretty nicely.
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) March 15, 2024
There is no question that Donald is an all-time great and on the short list for the greatest defensive linemen to ever live. The No. 13 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Pitt, Donald spent the entirety of his professional career with the Rams — first in St. Louis, then in Los Angeles — and put together a resume that few, if any, can match. He was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year on three occasions and earned All-Pro first-team honors eight times in 10 years. In 2021, Donald was the lynchpin of the Los Angeles defense as the team went on to win the second Super Bowl in franchise history.
In all, Donald will retire with 111 sacks and 176 tackles for loss in 10 years. Donald has flirted with retirement in the past, but now, it’s official, and the clock will start counting down on when — not if — he’ll be enshrined in Canton.