Why did it take the Rams so long to officially retire legendary DT Aaron Donald?

The LA Rams knew that All-Pro DT Aaron Donald planned to retire in 2023. It was the way he seemed to linger on the football field. It was the way he drank in the experiences of playing with his teammates. It was the relaxed visage of a warrior knowing that he was fighting the battles of his last campaign. It was time. His cup of competition was full.

He announced his retirement from the NFL in mid-March 2024.

There were plenty of questions, but answers came over time. Still, the news was not something that Rams fans wanted to hear. 10 seasons, although lengthy for an NFL career, seemed to fall short for many reasons. But Aaron Donald had made up his mind, and the team must now pivot to face 2024 and beyond without him.

So why did it take so long for the Rams to officially place Aaron Donald on the Reserve/Retired list?

There are many reasons for delaying the official act. For starters, call it an homage to the legendary player. A solemn rite that deserved time to sink in, process, and finally accomplish. It was a task, yes. But once done, it cemented the finality of it all.

Perhaps it was simply a matter of measuring twice, and cutting once. While reversing retirement is indeed doable in the NFL, it's not something that occurs every day. Rams GM Les Snead is a patient man who understands human nature. Rushing to file paperwork sends the wrong message about Donald. So, taking their time allowed Donald to vet his decision without the pressure of reversing the process in terms of the LA Rams.

Of course, there were the hints and urgings of his teammates to reconsider. While all comments were made in good fun, there was that unextinguishable hope that Donald may return. Hope like that prompted us to cite several scenarios that could lure Aaron Donald out of retirement. Those scenarios are almost certainly no longer in play.

The Rams knew that Aaron Donald was retiring. But there was never any rush to make it official.

Aaron Donald retired in March 2024. The filing of the paperwork is merely the final step to it all. Nothing truly changes. The team opens a roster slot in the process of making it official. But in a grand scheme of things, the emotions and realization were known months ago.

Aaron Donald was a truly legendary player in this defense. But his chapter is now written, and the team is turning the page to a new chapter. Who will star in this one? Will Kobie Turner ascend as Aaron Donald's successor? Will the Rams investment in DT Braden Fiske and OLB Jared Verse pay off is huge dividends? Or will some new star rise from this group to carry the team forward.

This is where the fun happens.

As always, thank you so much for reading.