Former the Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald provided more insights into his decision to retire from the NFL in a recent interview with ESPN. According to Donald, he no longer has a “passion to play the game”.

Donald had flirted with retirement for several years now, but it was still surprising to see him make that decision, considering he remained one of the top defensive players in the league. In 2023, he made 53 tackles, including 16 tackles for loss, and 8.0 sacks while making his 10th Pro Bowl appearance.

“I think the passion to play the game is no longer there for me,” Donald told ESPN. “I will always love football, but to think about going through another camp and another 17-[game] season, I just don’t got the urge to want to push myself to do that no more.”

Donald retired with a resume that guarantees he’ll become a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Aside from receiving a Pro Bowl nod in each of his seasons as a pro, he also won the Defensive Player of the Year Award three times and earned First-team All-Pro selection eight times. His 111.0 career sacks are the most in the Rams’ franchise history.

“I accomplished everything and more than I even thought was possible,” Donald added.

The post Ex-Rams DT Aaron Donald on Retirement: “Passion to Play The Game is No Longer There for Me” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald has been ruled out of his team’s clash against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Rams head coach Sean McVay confirmed on Friday. According to McVay, there is a strong possibility that the injury could see Donald remain on the sidelines for the remainder of the season.

Donald suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 12 during his team’s 10-26 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Soon after Donald’s injury, McVay announced that the team would monitor his progress on a weekly basis to determine when he could be considered fit enough to return to action.

McVay revealed on Friday that while Donald is making good progress in his recovery, he is unlikely to be cleared to play by the Rams’ medical staff before the conclusion of the season.

“Will he be fully cleared to be Aaron Donald?” McVay commented. “And if he is, then we talk to him and see. But if not, we’ll err on the side of being smarter. But obviously, he’s a guy that has certainly earned the right where you talk to him. But he’s not cleared yet and I don’t know that I see that changing in the next couple weeks.”

The post Rams’ Aaron Donald Likely to Be Sidelined For Rest of Season, Coach Confirms appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It appears that the Los Angeles Rams will have their most important player available on Saturday for their NFC Divisional Round matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Despite suffering a rib injury and missing most of the second half of their win against the Seahawks in the Wild Card Round, Aaron Donald will be suited up and ready to go on Saturday.

Rams coach Sean McVay and Aaron Donald himself revealed in media availability that the big defensive tackle had recovered quickly enough to participate just a week after he went down.

“I feel good, feel real good,” Donald said on Wednesday. “No pain, feel healthy.”

The six-time First-Team All-Pro, widely considered the best defensive player in the league, will be key if the Rams are to pull off a huge upset on Saturday afternoon. His pressure on quarterbacks is a key part of the Rams’ defense and a reason the team was able to sneak into the playoffs despite an inconsistent season.

Donald finished the season with 45 combined tackles and 13.5 sacks and could play a big part in making things difficult for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The Rams and Packers will face off at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Saturday at 4:35 pm Eastern Time.

The post Rams DT Aaron Donald (Rib Injury) Expected to Play on Saturday vs. Packers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Since entering the league as the 13th pick in 2014 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Rams’ defensive tackle Aaron Donald managed to establish himself as arguably the best football player on the defensive side of the ball. This is deservingly so, as he made First team All-Pro four times during that time and racked up 59.5 sacks and 264 tackles. But, if you ask Donald’s former teammate, retired defensive end Chris Long, he should also be considered the best football player in the world, period.

Long, who played for the Rams between 2008 and 2015, recently spoke on Huddle Up with Gus podcast and told the host Gus Frerotte that he immediately knew Donald is a special player.

“I’d like to credit myself with being the first person to know he was going to be amazing,” – said Long jokingly. “We used to joke his rookie camp that he was going to be in the Hall of Fame, but I kind of wasn’t joking.”

Long then called Donald “the best football player in the world, in my opinion,” before praising the 28-year-old for his work ethic.

“I’ve never seen anybody work so hard, who had so much talent and play so violent and play with such tenacity,” – he added. “This guy would fight you on the field at the drop of a hat, and I respect that about him, and outworks everybody. I would be the last person in the film room usually at the end of camp, and I would go in there and watch tape once everybody was at home. I started going in there and opening the door and turning the lights on to find my pen or notebook, and he was in there every night.”

Chris Long and Aaron Donald shared the locker room in 2014 and 2015, before Long left to play with New England Patriots in 2016. After winning Super Bowl ring with the Pats, Long signed with Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 and won another ring there. He retired following the end of 2018 NFL season.

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New Orleans Saints’ head coach Sean Payton is considered to be something of an offensive guru, but his offense will be put to a real test on Saturday when they face the Los Angeles Rams in NFC Championship Game. Rams’ have several “game changers” on the defense, but their defensive tackle Aaron Donald might be the biggest issue for the Saints; something Payton is well aware of.

“It’s hard to say you’re going to keep him in check,” – Payton said of Donald on Wednesday. “He’s played as well at that three-technique position that we’ve seen in years.”

The 55-year-old New Orleans’ coach is so high on Aaron Donald that he even considers him to be the best player in football on the defensive side of the ball.

“I mean, arguably and I don’t know even if it’s an argument, he’s the best defensive player today in football,” – he added. “His numbers, his production, it shows up in the run game, it shows up in the passing game, and it’s a challenge.”

Saints left tackle Terron Armstead later echoed Sean Payton’s words.

“It’s hard to argue with what’s he’s been able to do these past few years,” – said Armstead. “You can just watch the tape. Some guys get a name and you go back and watch the tape, and they have had success in certain situations. But him, week after week, play after play, the tape don’t lie. The film don’t lie. He’s a guy that can let his film speak for itself.”

Aaron Donald was terrific in the 2018 regular season, managing to have 59 combined tackles and league-high 20.5 sacks.

The post Saints’ Sean Payton on Rams’ Aaron Donald “The Best Defensive Player in Football” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Rams gave their defensive tackle Aaron Donald an excellent reason to end his holdout. Rams announced on Friday that Donald agreed to a six-year extension which will keep him in LA through the 2024 season. After getting the deal done, the 27-year-old All-Pro re-joined the team and is expected to play in season opener against the Oakland Raiders.

#LARams + @aarondonald97 agree to terms on a six-year extension.

Read » https://t.co/I0gsAUnZHt pic.twitter.com/8QAAji2h0j

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 31, 2018

While the Rams failed to disclose the details about the contract, according to ESPN‘s Adam Schefter, Aaron Donald received the largest deal in NFL history for a defensive player. The extension is reportedly worth $135 million with $87 million guaranteed. Donald was scheduled to earn $6.9 million in 2018 and was entering the final year of his rookie deal.

Los Angeles Rams were working on an extension with Aaron Donald since the end of 2016 season, but couldn’t make significant progress until now. One of the reasons for that was Donald’s wish to get a record-breaking deal, something the Rams weren’t willing to give him until now.

In order to force the organization to give him a new deal, Donald missed OTAs, minicamps and training camp in both 2017 and 2018 preseason. The holdout didn’t affect his play in 2017 since he was named AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, so we can expect him to have another impressive season this time around as well.

Aaron Donald was the Rams’ 13th overall pick in 2014. Donald immediately made an impact in his rookie season, being selected to Pro Bowl and receiving NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He backed that up with three more consecutive Pro Bowl selections and three straight First-team All-Pro honors. His career stats include 205 total tackles, 39.0 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 62 NFL career games.

The post DT Aaron Donald Agrees to a 6-Year, $135 Million Extension with Rams appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald will not be joining his team anytime soon according to ESPN‘s Adam Schefter. Donald, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, is seeking a new contract and has been holding out through the better part of the offseason. Rams coach Sean McVay also confirmed that there are no indications when the situation might be resolved anytime soon.

“I don’t think anything is going to change with that in the near future,” – said McVay on Monday. “I’ve had a little bit of dialogue with Aaron and we’re hopeful that we’ll get something done, but I don’t think there’s any realistic deal to August 7th being a date that changes really anything, but you never know.”

“Things remain the same. I’m looking forward to trying to connect with him later on today, and we’ll see where we’re at.” – he added.

Aaron Donald is entering the last year of his rookie deal, which will pay him $6.9 million. The 27-year-old, however, is looking to get a significant pay rise for his new contract. Donald is reportedly looking to become the league’s highest-paid defensive player in history, demanding $20 million per season. In 2017 offseason, Donald also refused to report for training camp also seeking an extension.

After being selected 13th overall by the Rams in 2014, Aaron Donald went on to establish himself as one of the NFL’s premier defensive tackles. He earned four consecutive Pro-Bow appearances since entering the league, while also getting three First-team All-Pro honors. In 62 career games, Donald has 148 tackles, 39.0 sacks, and nine forced fumbles.

The post LA Rams Coach Sean McVay Expects Aaron Donald’s Holdout to Continue appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Former the Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald provided more insights into his decision to retire from the NFL in a recent interview with ESPN. According to Donald, he no longer has a “passion to play the game”.

Donald had flirted with retirement for several years now, but it was still surprising to see him make that decision, considering he remained one of the top defensive players in the league. In 2023, he made 53 tackles, including 16 tackles for loss, and 8.0 sacks while making his 10th Pro Bowl appearance.

“I think the passion to play the game is no longer there for me,” Donald told ESPN. “I will always love football, but to think about going through another camp and another 17-[game] season, I just don’t got the urge to want to push myself to do that no more.”

Donald retired with a resume that guarantees he’ll become a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Aside from receiving a Pro Bowl nod in each of his seasons as a pro, he also won the Defensive Player of the Year Award three times and earned First-team All-Pro selection eight times. His 111.0 career sacks are the most in the Rams’ franchise history.

“I accomplished everything and more than I even thought was possible,” Donald added.

The post Ex-Rams DT Aaron Donald on Retirement: “Passion to Play The Game is No Longer There for Me” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald has been ruled out of his team’s clash against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Rams head coach Sean McVay confirmed on Friday. According to McVay, there is a strong possibility that the injury could see Donald remain on the sidelines for the remainder of the season.

Donald suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 12 during his team’s 10-26 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Soon after Donald’s injury, McVay announced that the team would monitor his progress on a weekly basis to determine when he could be considered fit enough to return to action.

McVay revealed on Friday that while Donald is making good progress in his recovery, he is unlikely to be cleared to play by the Rams’ medical staff before the conclusion of the season.

“Will he be fully cleared to be Aaron Donald?” McVay commented. “And if he is, then we talk to him and see. But if not, we’ll err on the side of being smarter. But obviously, he’s a guy that has certainly earned the right where you talk to him. But he’s not cleared yet and I don’t know that I see that changing in the next couple weeks.”

The post Rams’ Aaron Donald Likely to Be Sidelined For Rest of Season, Coach Confirms appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It appears that the Los Angeles Rams will have their most important player available on Saturday for their NFC Divisional Round matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Despite suffering a rib injury and missing most of the second half of their win against the Seahawks in the Wild Card Round, Aaron Donald will be suited up and ready to go on Saturday.

Rams coach Sean McVay and Aaron Donald himself revealed in media availability that the big defensive tackle had recovered quickly enough to participate just a week after he went down.

“I feel good, feel real good,” Donald said on Wednesday. “No pain, feel healthy.”

The six-time First-Team All-Pro, widely considered the best defensive player in the league, will be key if the Rams are to pull off a huge upset on Saturday afternoon. His pressure on quarterbacks is a key part of the Rams’ defense and a reason the team was able to sneak into the playoffs despite an inconsistent season.

Donald finished the season with 45 combined tackles and 13.5 sacks and could play a big part in making things difficult for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The Rams and Packers will face off at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Saturday at 4:35 pm Eastern Time.

The post Rams DT Aaron Donald (Rib Injury) Expected to Play on Saturday vs. Packers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Since entering the league as the 13th pick in 2014 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Rams’ defensive tackle Aaron Donald managed to establish himself as arguably the best football player on the defensive side of the ball. This is deservingly so, as he made First team All-Pro four times during that time and racked up 59.5 sacks and 264 tackles. But, if you ask Donald’s former teammate, retired defensive end Chris Long, he should also be considered the best football player in the world, period.

Long, who played for the Rams between 2008 and 2015, recently spoke on Huddle Up with Gus podcast and told the host Gus Frerotte that he immediately knew Donald is a special player.

“I’d like to credit myself with being the first person to know he was going to be amazing,” – said Long jokingly. “We used to joke his rookie camp that he was going to be in the Hall of Fame, but I kind of wasn’t joking.”

Long then called Donald “the best football player in the world, in my opinion,” before praising the 28-year-old for his work ethic.

“I’ve never seen anybody work so hard, who had so much talent and play so violent and play with such tenacity,” – he added. “This guy would fight you on the field at the drop of a hat, and I respect that about him, and outworks everybody. I would be the last person in the film room usually at the end of camp, and I would go in there and watch tape once everybody was at home. I started going in there and opening the door and turning the lights on to find my pen or notebook, and he was in there every night.”

Chris Long and Aaron Donald shared the locker room in 2014 and 2015, before Long left to play with New England Patriots in 2016. After winning Super Bowl ring with the Pats, Long signed with Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 and won another ring there. He retired following the end of 2018 NFL season.

The post Chris Long: “Aaron Donald is The Best Football Player in the World” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

New Orleans Saints’ head coach Sean Payton is considered to be something of an offensive guru, but his offense will be put to a real test on Saturday when they face the Los Angeles Rams in NFC Championship Game. Rams’ have several “game changers” on the defense, but their defensive tackle Aaron Donald might be the biggest issue for the Saints; something Payton is well aware of.

“It’s hard to say you’re going to keep him in check,” – Payton said of Donald on Wednesday. “He’s played as well at that three-technique position that we’ve seen in years.”

The 55-year-old New Orleans’ coach is so high on Aaron Donald that he even considers him to be the best player in football on the defensive side of the ball.

“I mean, arguably and I don’t know even if it’s an argument, he’s the best defensive player today in football,” – he added. “His numbers, his production, it shows up in the run game, it shows up in the passing game, and it’s a challenge.”

Saints left tackle Terron Armstead later echoed Sean Payton’s words.

“It’s hard to argue with what’s he’s been able to do these past few years,” – said Armstead. “You can just watch the tape. Some guys get a name and you go back and watch the tape, and they have had success in certain situations. But him, week after week, play after play, the tape don’t lie. The film don’t lie. He’s a guy that can let his film speak for itself.”

Aaron Donald was terrific in the 2018 regular season, managing to have 59 combined tackles and league-high 20.5 sacks.

The post Saints’ Sean Payton on Rams’ Aaron Donald “The Best Defensive Player in Football” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Rams gave their defensive tackle Aaron Donald an excellent reason to end his holdout. Rams announced on Friday that Donald agreed to a six-year extension which will keep him in LA through the 2024 season. After getting the deal done, the 27-year-old All-Pro re-joined the team and is expected to play in season opener against the Oakland Raiders.

#LARams + @aarondonald97 agree to terms on a six-year extension.

Read » https://t.co/I0gsAUnZHt pic.twitter.com/8QAAji2h0j

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 31, 2018

While the Rams failed to disclose the details about the contract, according to ESPN‘s Adam Schefter, Aaron Donald received the largest deal in NFL history for a defensive player. The extension is reportedly worth $135 million with $87 million guaranteed. Donald was scheduled to earn $6.9 million in 2018 and was entering the final year of his rookie deal.

Los Angeles Rams were working on an extension with Aaron Donald since the end of 2016 season, but couldn’t make significant progress until now. One of the reasons for that was Donald’s wish to get a record-breaking deal, something the Rams weren’t willing to give him until now.

In order to force the organization to give him a new deal, Donald missed OTAs, minicamps and training camp in both 2017 and 2018 preseason. The holdout didn’t affect his play in 2017 since he was named AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, so we can expect him to have another impressive season this time around as well.

Aaron Donald was the Rams’ 13th overall pick in 2014. Donald immediately made an impact in his rookie season, being selected to Pro Bowl and receiving NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He backed that up with three more consecutive Pro Bowl selections and three straight First-team All-Pro honors. His career stats include 205 total tackles, 39.0 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 62 NFL career games.

The post DT Aaron Donald Agrees to a 6-Year, $135 Million Extension with Rams appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald will not be joining his team anytime soon according to ESPN‘s Adam Schefter. Donald, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, is seeking a new contract and has been holding out through the better part of the offseason. Rams coach Sean McVay also confirmed that there are no indications when the situation might be resolved anytime soon.

“I don’t think anything is going to change with that in the near future,” – said McVay on Monday. “I’ve had a little bit of dialogue with Aaron and we’re hopeful that we’ll get something done, but I don’t think there’s any realistic deal to August 7th being a date that changes really anything, but you never know.”

“Things remain the same. I’m looking forward to trying to connect with him later on today, and we’ll see where we’re at.” – he added.

Aaron Donald is entering the last year of his rookie deal, which will pay him $6.9 million. The 27-year-old, however, is looking to get a significant pay rise for his new contract. Donald is reportedly looking to become the league’s highest-paid defensive player in history, demanding $20 million per season. In 2017 offseason, Donald also refused to report for training camp also seeking an extension.

After being selected 13th overall by the Rams in 2014, Aaron Donald went on to establish himself as one of the NFL’s premier defensive tackles. He earned four consecutive Pro-Bow appearances since entering the league, while also getting three First-team All-Pro honors. In 62 career games, Donald has 148 tackles, 39.0 sacks, and nine forced fumbles.

The post LA Rams Coach Sean McVay Expects Aaron Donald’s Holdout to Continue appeared first on SportzBonanza.