Aaron Donald contract, career earnings: What to know after Rams DT announces retirement
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald announced his retirement from the NFL on social media Friday.
Donald, 32, played 10 seasons in the NFL, all with the Rams.
“Cheers to what’s next. Extending a big thank you to the Rams and all of the fans for your support over these last 10 years,” Donald said Friday on social media. “Much love.”
Donald retires as a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowl selection, a Defensive Rookie of the Year and a Super Bowl champion. He is regarded as one of the best defensive linemen in NFL history and will likely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
"We are so grateful for Aaron’s dedication to greatness and for leading our franchise on and off the field for the past decade,” Rams owner Stanley Kroenke said in a statement. “He has left his mark on generations of football fans and his accomplishments, coupled with his work ethic and passion, continue to inspire his teammates, coaches and athletes across the globe. It is a privilege to have witnessed one of the greatest players of all time and we are proud that Aaron Donald will forever be part of NFL history as a member of the Rams.”
Aaron Donald retires: Aaron Donald, Rams great and three-time NFL Defensive Player of Year, retires at 32
What are Aaron Donald's career earnings?
According to Spotrac, a website that tracks contracts, payrolls, and salary caps of sports teams and athletes, Donald earned over $170 million over his 10 seasons in the NFL.
Assuming Aaron Donald was given $13.8M per a 2024 salary conversion, the former #13 overall pick & future first ballot Hall of Famer secured $171M across 10 NFL seasons, all with the #Rams organization.https://t.co/U1QfwX8ahv pic.twitter.com/dKWOqrqkBP
— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 15, 2024
What does Aaron Donald's contract look like?
Donald signed a 3-year, $95 million contract with the Rams in 2022, including a $25 million signing bonus and an average salary of $31.7 million.
Due to his retirement, the last two years of his contract become void in June, and the Rams will take on dead cap hits of $17 million in 2024 and $25.2 million in 2025, according to Spotrac.
Still trying to confirm a few items but it appears as though the #Rams are handing Aaron Donald a $13.8M bonus on his way out.
LA processed a full salary conversion this morning & will likely carry the contract into June, before taking on dead hits of:
2024: $17M
2025: $25.2M— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 15, 2024
Aaron Donald career stats
Over his 10 seasons in the NFL, Donald amassed 543 tackles, 111 sacks, 176 tackles for loss, 24 forced fumbles and 21 passes defended in 154 career regular-season games.
He’s the Rams’ all-time leader in career sacks and ranks 28th in NFL history in the category.
Contributing: Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aaron Donald contract, career earnings: Rams DT retires
