Ex-Rams star Aaron Donald, 32, admits he’s ‘burnt out’ after retiring

Aaron Donald has revealed he knew he was done not long after the Los Angeles Rams lost in the playoffs to the Detroit Lions in January, in a retirement video shared on social media.

An eight-time first-team All-Pro in 10 seasons, Donald couldn’t imagine returning for an 11th year in the NFL despite being only 32 years old.

“Went to two Super Bowls. One won, one lost. I am complete. I’m full,” the now-retired defensive tackle said in a clip shared to his X (Twitter) account on Wednesday.

‘I think the passion to play the game is no longer there for me. “I will always love football, but when I think about going through another camp and another 17 (competitive) seasons, I just don’t have the urge to want to force myself not to do that anymore.”

Donald has recorded 111 sacks and 543 tackles in 154 career games (150 starts) since being selected by the Rams with the 13th overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh.

Donald won a Super Bowl with the Rams in 2021, two years after losing to the Patriots in 2019

Donald ends his career as the fastest defensive tackle to reach 100 sacks in NFL history

Los Angeles coach Sean McVay said Donald used these words – “I’m full” – when he informed the franchise that his career was coming to an end.

Donald teased an upcoming video in his statement online on Wednesday.

‘I’m burned out. … I am full, I am complete, I am satisfied with what I have been able to do in 10 years and I think that for me, at the age of 32, it is time to retire and take the next step of my career and my life, and now it’s time to move on,” he said.

Donald ends his career as the fastest defensive tackle to reach 100 sacks in NFL history.

He is also just one of three players to be named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times.