A legend is hanging up his cleats. Pittsburgh native and longtime Los Angeles Rams DT Aaron Donald has retired. Donald broke the news himself with no warning or reporting, posting a goodbye message on Twitter Friday afternoon.
Playing high school football at Penn Hills, Donald stayed local and attended Pitt for his college years, tearing up Saturdays with his quickness and speed. A first-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in the 2013 NFL Draft, Donald quickly emerged as one of the league’s top players. Starting 12 games as a rookie, he recorded nine sacks and was named Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Later in the day, the Steelers’ Twitter account congratulated Donald and wished him well.
A consistent and elite pass rusher along the interior, his best season came in 2018 when he recorded a league-high 20.5 sacks. Three times, Donald was named Defensive Player of the Year, taking home the award in 2017, 2018, and 2020. Lawrence Taylor, J.J. Watt, and Donald are the only players in league history to win DPOY on three occasions.
Donald’s retirement has been floated and rumored for years though he’s always remained a Ram. Turning 33, he’s now moving on with life’s work. It’ll end rumors and speculation that Donald would try to end his career as a Pittsburgh Steeler, an offseason conversation that popped up from time to time.
For his career, Donald appeared in 154 games, starting 150. He recorded 260 QB hits, 176 tackles for a loss, and 111 sacks. He’s a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer and generational player.
