Aaron Donald retiring
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Aaron Donald’s announcement: <a href="https://t.co/cFFsH9dSI0">https://t.co/cFFsH9dSI0</a></p>&mdash; Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1768671179882053837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Aaron Donald retiring
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rams DT Aaron Donald has announced his retirement.</p>&mdash; Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1768671071970938940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Holy shit.

This offseason is nuts.

Crazy thing is the Rams actually looked like a contender again, and they finally have draft picks.

Hmmm. Obviously different positions, but corner is a huge need as well. So the Rams get desperate and heat up the Sneed talks?

WHOA!!!

Aaron, play one more season for the vet min and get another ring

WHOA!!!

Damn, again. Make up your mind Aaron

Again? What is he Jay Leno?

First ballot hall of famer and one of the best DT of all time

One of these guys who worked himself to the point that he just said enough. At least that's what I think.

Huge blow to that team. Damn.

Someone posted this in the free agency thread yesterday and got torn to shreds for posting fake news. Look like it was legit.

Whoever it was, come get your glory!

Either him or Mean Joe Greene. Maybe Alan Page.

Good argument for Donald on the Mount Rushmore of defensive players, regardless of position.

So we have just signed the now unquestionably best DT in the NFL for at least 3 years.

Offensive lineman health insurance just dropped 35%. Dirty bastard

I've always loved the imaginary universe where Aaron Donald and Chris Jones play for the same team. Just unfiltered dominance.

Donald is right up there with Reggie White as the most dominating DL I’ve ever seen. Definitely the best DT ever

He was decent

He knew that Chris Jones had surpassed him and he tapped out.

His resume is already unreal, there's no reason to destroy his body more. Though he's turning down a lot of money.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Geno Smith yelling &quot;OH MY GOD&quot; as Aaron Donald sprints at him (r <a href="https://twitter.com/Brook_Weber?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Brook_Weber</a>) <a href="https://t.co/Azk1XN9FTn">pic.twitter.com/Azk1XN9FTn</a></p>&mdash; CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) <a href="https://twitter.com/cjzero/status/1700994890619040244?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Strong claim without support. Well, the only way to settle the matter is to see the two of them play side-by-side for a season. That'll help settle it.

Put Myles Garrett on there too. Man…..


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He was in the league for so long that his first career game was for the St. Louis Rams with Jeff Fisher as HC, playing against Matt Casshole as the Vikings QB.

Relax, it’s a joke.

He didn't play for my favorite team so I think he SUCKED SHIT!!!!

He was also making a joke?

Yeah, I took it as one.

Seemed to have quite a bit left in the tank but I get it, why run it down to the fumes when you're already set for life.

Just a wild offseason.

Mahomes and the Chiefs broke the league.

Cowboys a deer in the headlights and did nothing.

Teams overpaying for shit.

Ravens lose 9 guys but sign an old running back.

Buffalo got nowhere

Chargers imploded and have no weapons.

Denver rebuild.

Jimmy G got no job.

Justin Fields is a pariah

What the ****

Donald, at his apex, was the best defensive player I've ever seen. I don't remember Reggie in his prime or it might be him.

But since about 1994 when I can really remember football players a bit better, nobody even really approaches Donald. Maybe peak JJ Watt.

The way he was able to destroy offenses while simultaneously being 100% assignment sound and just not taking plays off was really incredible.

People want to compare Jones to Donald but I really don't see a comparison. Jones is a fantastic interior pass rusher and a probable hall of famer in his own right. Aaron Donald was something different. Greatest to ever play his position and one of the best defensive players of all time.

Side note - any reporting on the cap consequences? Because they could be catastrophic.

I think that would accelerate about $40-$50 million in dead money from his signing bonus onto their cap. And I don't think he'd have any obligation to give that signing bonus back (though sometimes teams will pursue a pro-rated portion of it; most don't).

This could really barbecue LAR. And if so - good. **** you, Stan Kroenke.

Yeah Donald might be the best defensive player ever. Of course I wasn't able to watch everyone, but the dominance in the league during a time that the rules overwhelmingly help the offense is crazy. Jones in his prime doesn't even come close to Donald. He is just on a whole different level.

He's teased retirement already, so not exactly shocking, but still a little surprising considering they look like contenders this year.

You guys think he’s the best Ram ever?

Deacon Jones? Eric Dickerson? Marshall Faulk? Kurt Warner?

Maybe recency bias, but I’d have to go with Donald.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Look at where Chris Jones is relative to everyone EXCEPT Aaron Donald. <a href="https://t.co/XJLgDiOQh4">https://t.co/XJLgDiOQh4</a></p>&mdash; Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealMNchiefsfan/status/1768686422247321785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He’s talked about the grind of the NFL and how hard it is. And this was the off-season that they were champs.

Lineman have it the hardest of any NFL players. These guys have to eat a shit load of food and hit their macros while hitting the gym. Being that big and strong doesn’t happen naturally.

JJ Watt said that retiring was such a relief not bc of working out but bc of the constant food intake. It’s so much work staying that size.

Yeah. 9k calories in 7-8 meals every day. **** man that would get tiring and old after 10 years

That guy moved 350 pound professional linemen like we move toddlers.

Dude was incredible.

This came out of nowhere.

He's no Chris Jones

Prime Donald vs Jones. Who you taking?

Keep in mind Jones was vital in all three titles

Apparently some dudes like that because some retired lineman balloon to like 400lbs, most end up losing weight but yea.

Not even close....he is definitely the greatest Ram.



Question is where he is all time in NFL history for defensive players. I have him behind LT, White, and possibly Jones (if you factor in postseason play)

Eric Dickerson was no slouch

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chris Jones is on another planet. Aaron Donald was in a different dimension. <a href="https://t.co/XyiqgbXemJ">https://t.co/XyiqgbXemJ</a></p>&mdash; Arrowhead Live (@ArrowheadLive) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArrowheadLive/status/1768690617616310608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Better than Dickerson(too many fumbles and traded to the Colts after contract dispute), Faulk and Warner.... Deacon Jones is a bit before my time but I do like watching old games/learning about older players and Deacon Jones has a great argument. Donald may have edged him out but it is close between those two either way.

It also depends on your body type. Some people put on weight easy, some people can't put on weight to save their life without eating an uncomfortable amount of food.

You'd think the latter would be ****ing awesome, eat whatever you want lol. But when you need to hit a certain weight, it's not fun fighting your own metabolism.

Alan Page says Hello. ;)

Donald, no question. He was pretty much the reason they won that SB against Cincy. I have no doubt that he'd have played just as well or better than Jones in our post season runs.

I mean, I posted the same thing just 10 posts ago, but whatever. :p

Wow you are really violent with toddlers.

Lol, I bet there's a lot of QBs that are sighing with relief today.



One of the best to ever do it. On the Mt. Rushmore of defensive linemen for sure. Tip of the hat to a true great one, really enjoyed watching him demolish OLs every year. Thank God we don't have to worry about blocking him ever again.

he's one of the greatest for sure

Donald is 16th on most effective sacking of QB's. TJ Watt is #1

I find that they're really vulnerable to bull rushes.

Reggie White would do it with one arm.

I know that AD was great, and mostly dominant, but I feel like he is a little overrated. I say that because people act like he is a GOAT, and the accolades seem to back it up, but I would take Reggie, I would take Bruce, and I would even take a prime JJ over AD every time.

Everyone forgets about John Randle in the discussion for the best pass-rushing DT of all time. Reggie White played DE, primarily. Aaron Donald still doesn't trump Randle for me but he was ****ing good.

Man, Randle was a dawg.

I know that I am lumping positions together, but at the GOAT level for defensive linemen, it should just be defensive linemen and not DE vs DT, because I think it's hard to match play styles from era to era. What defensive linemen are asked to do now, is a lot different than any time in the past.

But, yeah, Randle was amazing.

But, there are so many incredible defensive linemen, and I just can't buy AD as the GOAT.

Reggie White
Bruce Smith
John Randle
Buck Buchanan
Lee Roy Selman
Merlin Olsen
Deacon Jones
Mean Joe Greene

That's just off the top of my head, but I don't see AD being that much better than any of those guys, and I am sure all the ones I can't think of.

I would say offer the rams a 5th and see if Donald will unretire a champion. Line up next to Jones.

Minnesota may have had the best DLine ever in the early 90s with Chris Doleman, Henry Thomas, and John Randle. All 3 were absolute game-wreckers. It's a shame they were only all together for a few years.

Randle had 137.5 career sacks. Thomas had 93.5, and Doleman had 150.5.

Doleman gets forgotten in the annals too, he's 5th all-time in sacks.

And I would add Bob Lily, Allen page and JJ Waltt to that list. I think he’s one of the top defensive lineman, but I don’t think he stands out above these others.

And he is certainly not the top defensive player. No way he ranks above Lawrence Taylor.

To be fair Pennel did it with one arm on three different occasions in the SB.

When he feels like it that dude can beast...