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Update: Donald says he’s going to take some time to make a decision on his future, per Dianna Russini.
Aaron Donald just told me he’s gonna take some time before he makes a decision if he’s going to retire or not. He wants to just be in the moment here.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) February 14, 2022
Update: NBC sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya has backed up Harrison’s report of Donald potentially retiring, saying the defensive star would consider it if the Rams do win the Super Bowl.
There’s a “strong possibility” that Los Angeles Rams DT Aaron Donald will retire if his team beats the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56 on Sunday night, per NBC’s Rodney Harrison. Below the analyst drops the major potential news bomb live.
"If he wins a #SuperBowl, there's a strong possibility that he could walk away from the game and retire."
— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 13, 2022
Rodney Harrison on Aaron Donald and his future in football. #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/tFzkHz8Axc
This is a pretty big deal for anything post-Super Bowl if you’re the Rams. There have also been rumors that head coach Sean McVay will step away from the team if the Rams win the Super Bowl. If Donald goes out into the sunset at age 30, it would be pretty shocking, though not crazy to think for someone who takes as many hits as he does. Donald has won Defensive Player of the Year three times. He also has 98 sacks in eight seasons with the Rams.
As of this writing before kickoff in Super Bowl 56, Donald is 14/1 to win Super Bowl MVP. He’s been a trendy pick the past two weeks with the bye week. There’s a chance Donald dominates the line of scrimmage for the Rams and gets after QB Joe Burrow all night long. If Donald wins the Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP, that may increase the odds he steps away from the game. There isn’t much more he can accomplish outside of NFL records and personal marks.