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Aaron Donald has decided to hang up his cleats.
After 10 seasons, the three-time AP defensive player of the year and Super Bowl LVI champion has announced his retirement on Friday.
“Throughout my career, I have given my everything to football both mentally and physically — 365 days a year was dedicated to becoming the best possible player I could be,” Donald said in a statement released on social media. “I respected this game like no other and I’m blessed to be able to conclude my NFL career with the same franchise that drafted me. Not many people get drafted to a team, win a World Championship with that team and retire with that team. I do not, and will not, take that for granted.”
The No. 13 overall pick of the 2014 draft, Donald made an immediate impact with 9.0 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, and 13 quarterback hits to win AP defensive rookie of the year. He was named a first-team All-Pro for the first of eight times in 2015.
He then won back-to-back AP defensive player of the year awards in 2017 and 2018. In the latter season, Donald set a record for an interior lineman with 20.5 sacks, helping lead the team to an appearance in Super Bowl LIII.
While Donald and the Rams didn’t win a Super Bowl ring that season, he did get his ring in 2021 when Los Angeles defeated Cincinnati at SoFi Stadium. That came after Donald won his third AP defensive player of the year award for his performance in the 2020 season.
J.J. Watt and Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor are the only two other individuals to ever earn three AP defensive player of the year awards.
Donald ends his career with 111.0 sacks, 176 tackles for loss, and 260 quarterback hits in 154 games. He also recorded 24 forced fumbles, 21 passes defensed, and seven fumble recoveries.
In five years, Donald will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/aaron-donald-announces-retirement-163049035.html
Author : ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports
Publish date : 2024-03-15 16:30:49
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