The Rams begin their title defense Thursday night, kicking off the 2022 NFL season by hosting Buffalo at SoFi Stadium. Last year’s triumph in Super Bowl LVI, the Rams’ first title since 1999 (back when they still called St. Louis home), wouldn’t have been possible without Aaron Donald, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and surefire Hall-of-Famer who did this to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow on the game’s deciding play.
It's hard to imagine the Rams without their defensive anchor, but, as reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Donald was ready to call it a career as recently as four months ago, going so far as to pen a retirement letter addressed to commissioner Roger Goodell. Dated May 9th, the message was sent on Athlete First letterhead, informing the Rams that, after eight NFL seasons, Donald was moving on, content with his legacy as one of the greatest interior defenders in league history.
Rapoport says Donald was “at peace” with his decision to retire but agreed to meet with Rams brass over Zoom the following day. After a series of “encouraging conversations,” the Rams presented an offer Donald couldn’t refuse, ultimately signing him to a three-year, $95-million extension through 2026.
It's unclear whether Donald actually intended to walk away or if the retirement threat was a shrewd negotiating tactic masterminded by agent Todd France. Regardless, the two sides were able to reach an outcome that benefited both parties, with Donald earning a well-deserved raise and Los Angeles keeping its best player under team control for three more seasons. No team has run it back since the Patriots in 2003-04, but the Rams are better equipped than most to repeat, returning 16 of their 22 starters from last year.
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