This time last year the Los Angeles Rams were dealing with the harsh reality of a future without three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Aaron Donald.
Nearly a year to the date, Donald announced his retirement on X (formerly Twitter), leading the Rams to shift their immediate attention to the pass rush by using their first-round pick on Jared Verse in the upcoming draft.
Alls well that ends well as the Rams exceeded expectations by making it as far as the Divisional Round, with Verse following in Donald’s footsteps by claiming Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. But there was a period where head coach Sean McVay seriously tried to persuade Donald to rethink his decision.
Speaking on Pardon My Take earlier in the week, McVay revealed one too many vodka sodas led him to pleading his case for Donald to unretire at his son’s birthday party in late October.
“He was at my house – after we had played Minnesota earlier on in the season, it was a Thursday night game so we had a birthday for my son Jordan,” McVay said. “It was his first birthday. I think I caught a couple vodka sodas too many and I definitely was trying to convince him of that and he was like, ‘Hey bro, we’ve already been down this road, man. You know that’s not happening.’”
Rewinding, the Rams found themselves sitting 3-4 after defeating Minnesota at home in Week 8, so you can hardly blame McVay for trying.
As Donald has stated numerous times in the past though, he remains happily retired after stating he was “burnt out” following the 2024 season.
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