All signs point toward Aaron Donald coming back to the Rams in 2022, despite Los Angeles losing Von Miller and having yet to re-sign Odell Beckham Jr. He hasn’t publicly announced it yet, but Sean McVay said Donald told the Rams he intends to play again next season after weighing retirement earlier this offseason.
What will assure that Donald is still on the field in 2022 is a contract extension, which the Rams are working on right now. They’re seeking to reward him for the dominance he’s displayed since signing a six-year, $135 million deal in 2018, which he’ll happily welcome.
While on the “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast, Donald said he’s had conversations with the Rams, confirming what Sean McVay and Les Snead have said. And while he initially thought he’d want to be done playing football after Super Bowl LVI, he still feels hungry to win another ring.
“I had conversations with the Rams. We talked,” he said. “(If) we bring the guys back – certain guys back – and we got a real shot to repeat and really win another Super Bowl, why not come back and play? That’s all it’s about. I experienced this and it’s like, I thought I’d want to be done, but I got addicted to it. It’s like, I ain’t satisfied. I want to get it one more time. We gonna see after we get this second one. That’s what we’re gonna do. But I’m hungry to try to get another one, for sure. I can’t lie about that.”
Donald said he and the Rams are in a good spot negotiation-wise right now and that he’s talked to McVay, Stan Kroenke, Kevin Demoff and Tony Pastoors, among other veterans within the organization.
He sounds optimistic that a deal will get done.
“We in good talks right now,” he said. “I got a lot of love with the Rams and the organization. I had some conversations with Mr. Kroenke, the owner, with Sean (McVay), with (Kevin) Demoff, with Tony (Pastoors), with some of the other veteran guys around. So just looking like we can be back, so we’re good. We’re good.”
Donald turned 30 last year but he showed absolutely no signs of slowing down. He had 12.5 sacks, 25 QB hits and a career-high 84 tackles, earning his seventh consecutive All-Pro selection and eighth Pro Bowl nod.
Aside from some added aches and pains, Donald doesn’t feel like he’s slowing down at all. If anything, he thinks he’s still getting faster and is in better shape now than he was in years past.
It sure doesn’t sound like someone who’s going to retire at the age of 30.
“I was just with my guy on Wednesday training, and I always ask him after I work out, I say, ‘Whatchu think?’ He texted me back, like, ‘You got about three, five more years with how you’re moving.’ I feel good. I really do feel good,” Donald said. “I feel quick, I feel explosive, so I don’t feel like I’m slowing down. If anything, I feel like I’m getting faster. I feel like I’m in better shape. I keep telling people, I get better with age. I don’t slow down. I just feel like I’m getting that much stronger. I look better with age and all that.”
Donald’s latest workout video confirms that he is still fast despite it only being April. He looks like he’s in midseason form already.
.@AaronDonald97 is DIFFERENT. 😤pic.twitter.com/2Lhd0Tzj6X
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 4, 2022
It’s not official yet, but everything points to Donald returning for another season in 2022.
