DT Aaron Donald, LAR (2 Viewers)

[Faust]

'I've got a lot to prove': Aaron Donald out for redemption after down year

 

[Faust]

Rams DT Aaron Donald won't be slowing down anytime soon

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Retired today.

 

[ChicoCat]

Was that out of the blue? was there rumblings?

 

[Joe Schmo]

Looks like he helped the team on his way out: https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2024/03/15/rams-salary-cap-aaron-donald-restructure-contract/

 

[Max55]

Hard to find somebody that was more dominant at his position.

 

[Donnybrook]

Kyler Murray posts on twitter about Aaron Donald are making me chuckle.

 

[Terpman22]

Top 5 defensive player all time. What a monster. Great career.

 

[menobrown]

Looks like he helped the team on his way out: https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2024/03/15/rams-salary-cap-aaron-donald-restructure-contract/

Restructures typically mean he just got paid salary as a bonus, he did not take a cut. I don't know if they will request any of that bonus is repaid, right now it looks like they are dealing with a Russell Wilson like $62M dead cap hit, which of course they'll try and spread out.

ETA-I did not know about this so you are right:

Aaron Donald cap implications:20m in option bonuses guaranteed TODAY. So looks like Rams agreed to pay AD 8.9m in 2024 salary (by converting it to signing bonus) in exchange for his retiring today, before the option bonuses guaranteed.2024 cap hit increases 16.2m, from 27m to 43.2m. However with a post June 1 designation, his 2024 cap hit would decrease by appx 10m, from appx 27m to 17.1m, and his 2025 dead cap hit would be appx 25.2m.

 

[Max55]

Hard to find somebody that was more dominant at his position.

Myles Garrett says hello.

No way. Garrett isn’t even the best defensive player in AFC North. TJ Watt is.

Yes….slightly different positions.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Was that out of the blue? was there rumblings?

He almost retired last year IIRC.

 

[efactor]

Hard to find somebody that was more dominant at his position.

Myles Garrett says hello.

Garrett plays DT?

 

[JohnnyU]

Hard to find somebody that was more dominant at his position.

Myles Garrett says hello.

Garrett plays DT?

Oops

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Donald still pockets a cool $13.5M on his way out the door, clears almost $10M in salary relief for the Rams as he announces his retirement
Rams had to know he was retiring when they restructured his current contract.

-8x All-Pro
1st ballot HoF feels like a safe bet here

 

[Max55]

Hard to find somebody that was more dominant at his position.

Myles Garrett says hello.

Garrett plays DT?

No he doesn’t, Garrett plays defensive end.

Wait, I see what you did there.

 

[JohnnyU]

Hard to find somebody that was more dominant at his position.

Myles Garrett says hello.

Garrett plays DT?

No he doesn’t. Garrett plays defensive end.

Ok, then Joe Greene, Randy White, and Alan Page.

 

[efactor]

Hard to find somebody that was more dominant at his position.

Myles Garrett says hello.

Garrett plays DT?

I see what you did there.

I know. Just teasing High Tops

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Darnold still pockets a cool $13.5M on his way out the door, clears almost $10M in salary relief for the Rams as he announces his retirement
Rams had to know he was retiring when they restructured his current contract.

-8x All-Pro
1st ballot HoF feels like a safe bet here

Darnold played for the Rams?

 

[JohnnyU]

Darnold still pockets a cool $13.5M on his way out the door, clears almost $10M in salary relief for the Rams as he announces his retirement
Rams had to know he was retiring when they restructured his current contract.

-8x All-Pro
1st ballot HoF feels like a safe bet here

Darnold played for the Rams?

Give him time

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Darnold still pockets a cool $13.5M on his way out the door, clears almost $10M in salary relief for the Rams as he announces his retirement
Rams had to know he was retiring when they restructured his current contract.

-8x All-Pro
1st ballot HoF feels like a safe bet here

Darnold played for the Rams?

Give him time

He does seem to get around.

 

[travdogg]

Best DT in NFL history in my opinion. Top-4 defensive player in history alongside Reggie White, Bruce Smith, and Lawrence Taylor.

Donald was literally the best DT in the NFL for the entirety of his career. Never had a down year, I'm not sure any other player can say that they were the best at their position from rookie to retirement.

Massive loss for the Rams, and for the NFL in general.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Darnold still pockets a cool $13.5M on his way out the door, clears almost $10M in salary relief for the Rams as he announces his retirement
Rams had to know he was retiring when they restructured his current contract.

-8x All-Pro
1st ballot HoF feels like a safe bet here

Darnold played for the Rams?

Give him time

Good catch guys, fixed

 

[McBokonon]

#H2P

 

[SoBeDad]

Donald still pockets a cool $13.5M on his way out the door, clears almost $10M in salary relief for the Rams as he announces his retirement
Rams had to know he was retiring when they restructured his current contract.

-8x All-Pro
1st ballot HoF feels like a safe bet here

>>Minutes after announcing his retirement from the NFL, Aaron Donald has now been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.<<

https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1768672820945416664?t=vFKMkEkLOb54n8cK8wprBQ&s=19

 

[Faust]

NFL community reacts to Aaron Donald's retirement on social media

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

The tweets of relief from NFCW OL & QBs are amazing.

https://x.com/mongofeliciano/status/1768687642051272733?s=46&t=ECDRicIHzJUttelOAeHwJw

 

[BobbyLayne]

Per Michael Ginnitti with Spotrac, the Rams are expected to hand Donald a $13.8 million bonus as he retires.

Good job, LAR. That’s how you should treat a legend.

 

[SoBeDad]

Per Michael Ginnitti with Spotrac, the Rams are expected to hand Donald a $13.8 million bonus as he retires.

Good job, LAR. That’s how you should treat a legend.

Did Sanders end up having to return prorated bonus dollars?

 

[BobbyLayne]

Per Michael Ginnitti with Spotrac, the Rams are expected to hand Donald a $13.8 million bonus as he retires.

Good job, LAR. That’s how you should treat a legend.

Did Sanders end up having to return prorated bonus dollars?

Both Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson had their unearned signing bonus clawed back. IIRC it was around $1.8M for Barry (25 years ago), and $1.6M for Megatron. It took years to repair the relationship with #81.

Both are active alumni with ambassador roles now. Sheila Hamp Ford does things the right way. Her parents were oblivious.

I believe Romo kept around $2M when he retired. When guys put their bodies on the line for a decade or more, they deserve to be treated with the respect they’ve earned, irrespective of the contractual language.

 

[Faust]

Aaron Donald's NFL career marked by astonishing run of dominance, Super Bowl brilliance with Rams

 

[Faust]

DT Aaron Donald on retirement after 10 seasons in NFL: 'I'm burnt out'

 

[rockaction]

This guy had nothing left to prove. Super Bowl Champion and one of the best DTs ever.

 

[nightmare]

Best DT in NFL history in my opinion. Top-4 defensive player in history alongside Reggie White, Bruce Smith, and Lawrence Taylor.

Donald was literally the best DT in the NFL for the entirety of his career. Never had a down year, I'm not sure any other player can say that they were the best at their position from rookie to retirement.

Massive loss for the Rams, and for the NFL in general.

Merlin Olsen comes close. 15 years, 14 pro bowls, and 5 all pros.
Back then, pro bowls meant more.