One of the most prolific defensive players in the NFL says he’s at peace with his career if a new contract is not negotiated. Rams star defensive tackle Aaron Donald says that he’s fine if there is no new deal reached between himself and the Rams’ front office.
On the I Am Athlete podcast hosted by former NFL players Brandon Marshall, Pacman Jones and LeSean McCoy, Donald said, “It ain’t about the money, it’s a business at the end of the day. That’s what you’ve got to see. For me, it’s about winning. I don’t want to play football if I can’t win anyway, so I feel like … if I got a real opportunity to win another Super Bowl, then it makes sense to play. But again, it’s still a business. We’ve got to handle the business side of things, and if that wasn’t to get handled then, you know, it is what it is type of situation. I’ll be fine regardless.”
Donald is one of the most decorated players in NFL history. The defensive tackle is an eight-time Pro Bowler, seven-time All-Pro, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, a member of the Hall of Fame All-2010s Team, and most recently a Super Bowl Champion.
After eight seasons, Donald has been touted as not only one of the best defensive players in the NFL but rather all-time. He also alluded to these eight seasons saying he’d always thought about retiring after eight seasons. “But me talking about retirement, that was happening way before we won a Super Bowl. I’ve been saying that since I got into the league that I was going to play eight years and be done. That’s just what I’ve been saying. It just came out and then everybody think that, ‘Oh, he said if he wins a Super Bowl he’s going to retire.’ Nah, I got teammates, coaches, and my family who know about this. I said I’m going to play eight years, and I’m going to probably be done playing football,” he said.
Donald is under contract with Los Angeles through 2024, but he has no more guaranteed money left on his deal. He is optimistic that the Rams will work out a deal but said that if one isn’t reached, he will not be upset. “I was blessed to play this game, to make the money I made, the accomplishments I made in eight years is, like, I’m complete. If I can win another one, that’s great. But if not, I’m at peace,” he said.
Donald recently signed with Donda Sports, an agency founded by musician Kanye West.
