Aaron Donald is content to leave his playing days behind as the Rams prepare to honor him

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Donald’s commitment to pursuing greatness made him a Super Bowl champion, a Los Angeles Rams legend and one of the best defenders in NFL history.

Donald has shown the same resolve in retirement, shifting his full focus to family and off-field ventures after stepping away from football in March 2024 despite still being able to play at an elite level.

“I’m fulfilled,” Donald said during a visit to the Rams’ training complex this week. “I’m happy with where I’m at in my life right now and what I’m doing, and obviously everything I do I strive for greatness. I felt like I checked that off of football, and in the next chapter of life, just transitioning all that into what I’m trying to do and build right now. I love the game of football. I just don’t love playing the game of football anymore.”

The Rams will recognizing Donald at halftime of their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night, with the first 60,000 fans in attendance receiving a bobblehead that captures Donald pointing to his ring finger as he did on the field in the Super Bowl after forcing a fourth-down incompletion to secure a 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in February 2022.

The bobblehead also features a small goat wearing Donald’s No. 99 jersey, a cheeky nod to the future Hall of Fame defensive tackle’s “greatest of all time” resume: 111 career sacks, 176 tackles for loss and unparalleled ability to disrupt the game as an interior lineman despite not having the height and weight typically associated with the position.

“Obviously on the football field, he was as dominant as you could be, whether that was practice or in games,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “He forced the hand of the offense more than any player I’ve ever played against or with, which was incredible to be around.”

The celebration comes after Donald had his jersey retired by the University of Pittsburgh last Saturday. Donald was an All-American and the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year with the Panthers and won multiple awards, including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award and Outland Trophy.

This eight-day period has left the 34-year-old Donald reflecting on his unlikely path to superstardom. He described the past week as “emotional, overwhelming at times, but I’ve been enjoying it.”

“I’ve been taking it all in,” he continued. “Thinking about the journey of everything I had to do to get myself to a certain point and to be able to accomplish the things I was able to accomplish in college and in the pros. It’s been emotional for sure, but to be able to be here with my family, my loved ones, people that played a huge part of my success in pushing me to where I’m at today.”

Donald said his wife and four children are the main reason he has been able to cleanly separate from the game. He has also thrown himself into charitable ventures as well as teaming with NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo in a sports drink company.

Those pursuits haven’t kept Donald from his legendary workouts. He has also made himself available to the current crop of Rams defensive linemen, sharing pass rush tips or breaking down video with tackle Kobie Turner and outside linebacker Jared Verse among others. Those little interactions have allowed Donald to stay connected to the parts of football he enjoyed most during his 10 seasons with the Rams.

When it comes to game day, however, Donald is perfectly happy with his new vantage point.

“I put my Rams shirt on or my Rams sweatsuit, and I might have some chicken wings,” Donald said. “It’s a lot different than my normal Sundays when I played, but I’m enjoying the new Sundays I’m having with the family and watching my Rams play.”

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