There will be many ways to remember Aaron Donald. The comical triple teams he faced throughout his career, many to no avail. Some hardware or accolade that he brought home after every season of his 10-year career.
But no image will last long as the end of Super Bowl LVI.
Up three near midfield with 43 seconds to go, Donald’s Rams needed one stop to win their first Super Bowl in Los Angeles. The defensive tackle blew past his blocker, refusing to even be engaged. When he spun Joe Burrow to the ground, the Bengals quarterback could only throw the ball in the proximity of a receiver, with no chance of a completion.
As he held his helmet up with his left hand, he pointed to his finger with his right, beaming and saying, “Ring me.”
“Not many people get drafted to a team, win a World Championship with that team and retire with that team,” Donald wrote on Friday. “I do not, and will not, take that for granted.”
Donald called it a career on Friday, announcing his retirement with a statement on X, formerly Twitter, bringing an end to his decade-long career.
The numbers on his resume alone justify Donald’s immediate election to the Hall of Fame when he is eligible in 2029. One of three players in history to win three Defensive Player of the Year awards. Selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his 10 seasons, built on 111 sacks and 176 tackles for loss across his career.
“There will never be another Aaron Donald,” Rams general manager Les Snead said in a statement.
There was no ramp-up period for Donald’s career. After Snead selected him with the 13th overall pick out of Pittsburgh in the 2014 NFL draft, Donald was named Defensive Rookie of the Year after a nine-sack season.
The next seven years, he would go on to be named to seven straight All-Pro first teams, a streak only broken due to injury in 2022 before he again was named to the first team this past season as he recorded eight sacks and 16 TFLs in 16 games.
He provided versatility that few defensive tackles could match, able to explode past tackles when lining up outside or bull rush through multiple interior defenders when at his natural tackle position. There were times when he was downright unblockable, like in 2018 when he finished with 20.5 sacks and 25 tackles for loss.
That was largely a credit to his work ethic, renowned as he was for his strenuous workouts either at the facility at Pitt that bears his name or in the custom gym he built at his home in Los Angeles.
“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 wrote. “I respected the game like no other.”
And that respect rubbed off on his teammates. He was a model for what work ethic looked like throughout his career, and this past season helped elevate the young players around him as they infused him with newfound joy as he approached the end of his career.
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“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,” head coach Sean McVay said in a statement. “He is truly one of one and epitomizes everything that’s right about sports.”
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
But Donald’s journey is coming to an end. There will be no retirement press conference, fitting to his private persona. Perhaps the next time he makes a public appearance will be when he’s fitted for a gold jacket in Canton.
That’s just Donald’s been, from his first day in the NFL to his last.
“As I turn my focus to a new chapter, I don’t know what the future holds, but I am excited about the off the field possibilities. I’m looking forward to spending more time with my wife, Erica, and my kids, Jaeda, AJ, Aaric and Aali,” Donald wrote. “The greatest reward was being able to play this game with them by my side.”