Aaron Donald is not a happy camper that former Patriots player and current NBC analyst Rodney Harrison leaked information from a private conversation the two had regarding Donald possibly retiring after Super Bowl LVI.
In a profile interview with Sports Illustrated, the rumor that Donald would retire all started when he sat down and met with NBC broadcasters during Super Bowl week. Prior to that meeting, Harrison and Donald had an informal and "personal" conversation. When the former All-Pro safety joked that Donald could play in the NFL for 15 more years if he wanted to, Donald implied that the Super Bowl could potentially be the last game of his career.
“Honestly, you never know,” Donald said in response to Harrison. “This could be my last year.”
Come time for all the pre-game festivities, Harrison shared that sentiment on national television before the game, but Donald didn’t find out until after the game when reporters started to question him about it.
“I wouldn’t expect [Harrison] to do something like that,” Donald told SI, about Harrison’s decision to break the news on NBC. “I wouldn’t want him to.”
However, Donald didn't imply that Harrison's report was totally inaccurate. The future Hall of Famer brought up how it weighs on him that two out of three of his kids live across the country in Pittsburgh while he's out playing ball in L.A.
“I’m thinking about my kids, first, always,” Donald told SI. “People who know me understand why.”
While that is a very valid reason to retire, during the Rams Super Bowl parade, Donald said he wants to "run it back" so at least for now, it appears Donald will continue to cause havoc for quarterbacks and opposing offensive coordinators.
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