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JUMP TO:
- Is Aaron Donald retired?
- Why did Aaron Donald retire so young?
- How old is Aaron Donald now?
- Aaron Donald career sacks
- Aaron Donald DPOY seasons
When assessing the NFL of the 2010s and early 2020s, there are some names that immediately come to mind. Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams and Travis Kelce found success throughout much of the past decade, cementing themselves as Hall of Fame talents in the process.
Still, there might not be a player more deserving of praise from that era than Aaron Donald. The Rams defender was more titan than man across his 10 seasons with St. Louis/Los Angeles.
With a trophy closet filled with precious gemstones — including a Lombardi Trophy and three Defensive Player of the Year titles — Donald's dominance wasn't merely imagined. Rather, it was tangible, reflected in the ways that teams structured their attack to mitigate his bruising frame.
So, just what happened to Donald? That level of dominance doesn't come around often, even in professional football's top-flight. Donald's void has been noticeable in recent campaigns. But where is he? And why isn't he on the field anymore?
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Is Aaron Donald retired?
Aaron Donald is, indeed, retired. He stepped away from the game in 2024, a surprise given his relative dominance and good health.
Donald was linked with retirement as early as 2022, with rumors swirling following the Rams' Super Bowl victory. He even wrote a retirement letter to hand to Los Angeles' front office in the offseason. However, a conversation with Sean McVay convinced him to stay in the league a little while longer. He was promptly rewarded for his decision, inking a three-year, $95 million extension.
Two years later, Donald felt that tingle once more. He opted to end his playing career after 10 years, 10 Pro Bowl appearances, eight first-team All-Pros, three Defensive Player of the Year awards and a spot on the NFL's 2010's All-Decade team.
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Why did Aaron Donald retire so young?
Aaron Donald explained that, although his love for football continued to burn brightly, he didn't have a passion to sport shoulder pads any longer. He cited burnout as one of the primary factors in him deciding to hang up his cleats.
"I'm complete. I'm full," Donald said in a 2024 interview with Rams.com. "I think the passion to play the game is no longer there for me. 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 through that no more.
"I'm satisfied with what I was able to do in 10 years. I think it's time for me at 32 years old to retire from football and jump into the next step of my career, my life. Now it's time to move on."
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How old is Aaron Donald now?
Aaron Donald stepped away from the sport at 32. He is now 34 years old. He'll turn 35 on May 23.
Aaron Donald career sacks
Aaron Donald tallied 111 sacks across his 10-year career, good for an average of about 11 sacks a season.
A defensive tackle, Donald was arguably more renowned for his run-stopping exploits. And yet, the Pittsburgh alum would discard of weary offensive tackles before sending quarterbacks crashing into the canvas.
He was at his pinnacle in the late 2010s and early 2020s, recording 70 sacks across five seasons, including a 20.5-sack campaign in 2018.
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Aaron Donald DPOY seasons
Aaron Donald took home three Defensive Player of the Year awards in his career, landing the prize in 2017, 2018 and 2020.
Here's a look at Donald's displays during his Defensive Player of the Year seasons.
2017
Donald's first Defensive Player of the Year award came in 2017. He recorded 11 sacks and five forced fumbles in 14 games.
Donald faced serious opposition from then-Jaguars standout Calais Campbell, who tallied 14.5 sacks. However, Donald fended off his adversary to hoist the hardware. He wouldn't have to wait long to add to his trophy cabinet.
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2018
What's better than one Defensive Player of the Year award? How about another? Donald flashed his playmaking chops during that sterling 2017 campaign. In 2018, he added to those exploits, posting a league-leading 20.5 sacks and 25 tackles for loss for Los Angeles.
He received 45 of 50 first-place votes, besting then-Bears pass-rusher Khalil Mack to get a grasp on the glint trophy.
2020
Donald left his mark during the COVID-impacted 2020 season. Although the Rams lineman wasn't quite as prolific as he was during that historic 2018 campaign, he amassed an impressive 13.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and 14 tackles for loss in 16 fixtures.
He had quite the adversary for DPOY in Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt, who bested him in sacks. Nevertheless, Donald did enough to secure the trifecta, joining Lawerence Taylor and J.J. Watt as players to win the award three times.
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