Mourning AD in my own way

[CoachAllred]

I know this is a late response and I know we have done about as well as we could in 23-24 drafts in rebuilding our front seven.

But since AD'S Retirement, I have not been able to watch or read anything about him.
Maybe I'm just in denial or just so heartbroken that I can't allow myself to Face up to the truth.
I have never felt this way about any Ram player leaving or retiring. I handled Bruce leaving
same with Holt ,Faulk . And many other Great Rams. I was disappointed, but still good to go

I think it all boils down to just how much I loved this guy. I just don't how I will react when the
new season starts and 99 is nowhere to found on the field.
I'm still struggling and this is actually the first time I written about the subject.
Never thought it would hit me as hard as it has

Maybe it's the difference in losing a great Ram and losing The Greatest Ram to have ever stepped on the field.
God bless you AD and thank you for being AD every day and every game.
The End of a era in Rams history.

Happy for his wife and kids. Dad's home to stay.

 

[Tano]

I know this is a late response and I know we have done about as well as we could in 23-24 drafts in rebuilding our front seven.

But since AD'S Retirement, I have not been able to watch or read anything about him.
Maybe I'm just in denial or just so heartbroken that I can't allow myself to Face up to the truth.
I have never felt this way about any Ram player leaving or retiring. I handled Bruce leaving
same with Holt ,Faulk . And many other Great Rams. I was disappointed, but still good to go

I think it all boils down to just how much I loved this guy. I just don't how I will react when the
new season starts and 99 is nowhere to found on the field.
I'm still struggling and this is actually the first time I written about the subject.
Never thought it would hit me as hard as it has

Maybe it's the difference in losing a great Ram and losing The Greatest Ram to have ever stepped on the field.
God bless you AD and thank you for being AD every day and every game.
The End of a era in Rams history.

Happy for his wife and kids. Dad's home to stay.

With everyone else, it was time to say goodbye based on their performances in their last season with the Rams

AD - left too soon

 

[jap]

I am happy for AD99. Football is a collision sport. This guy treated his conditioning as a 365/366 days per year job. How many players who played as fiercely as he did could walk away with no lingering injuries into the next phase of his life? He gave it his all and was able to walk away injury-free. Any player would love! to be able to do just that!

 

[TexasRam]

I am glad AD walked away on Top of his game and I don't have any negative feelings about his decision.

But his presence will be missed as he leaves such a massive hole.

Especially at the end of games when you needed someone to make a play and close it out.

He could dominate at will.

It's time for a new playmaker to step onto the scene for us. Whoever it is, he will probably never reach Donald's level.

Going to need a village.

 

[Loyal]

I am glad AD walked away on Top of his game and I don't have any negative feelings about his decision.

But his presence will be missed as he leaves such a massive hole.

Especially at the end of games when you needed someone to make a play and close it out.

He could dominate at will.

It's time for a new playmaker to step onto the scene for us. Whoever it is, he will probably never reach Donald's level.

Going to need a village.

"I'm yur huckleberry." ~ Fiske

 

[Oyster]

I didn't see it coming this soon. The announcement shocked me. I thought we had a few more years.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I wish, as fans, we got that “goodbye season”.

One last season to soak it all up.

 

[Ram65]

Next.

It took a little time but, I'm over AD's retirement. Sure I still hope he comes back. I'm looking forward to all the new draft picks and signings from last year and this year. Overall the Rams arrow is pointing . A few wins and you will be fine @CoachAllred.

 

[snackdaddy]

As a fan I will always have fond memories of AD. I appreciate all he did for us fans. But now that he's gone my focus is on the team. If he comes back then great. If not, I'll be watching games and rooting for the guys who are on the team.

 

[RamsFan4Life]

Lots claim there are unerring universal axioms……

I contend there is one I’ve seen to be true

”Never say never”

 

[jap]

I didn't see it coming this soon. The announcement shocked me. I thought we had a few more years.

It may have been a shock to us as fans, but the coaching brass knew it was coming.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Gee. I guess I'm more of a team over player guy.

After the immediate shock, I quickly moved on to what would happen next via personnel. As great as he was, I still believe the team could win with or without Donald with the right personnel moves.

 

[RamDino]

I never thought he'd give up 30 million dollars.

I'm kinda glad now that he's retired though... it was sickening to watch him get double-teamed and held constantly. Probably took all the fun out of his game. Jason Kelcy said it best when he told AD that they were not gonna let him wreck their offense, which us what he did best. The plays he made to win the NFC Championship game and the Super Bowl were historic.

AD went out on top and I admire him for that.

 

[Memento]

I’m just happy for the man. I always felt awful that we couldn’t give S-Jax a good team, a true playoff team for him. He never won it all, even though he willed this team’s heart for eight years.

AD won it all, he was the heart and soul of this defense. And he has his family. He’s walking away satisfied with what he did, and he never sprung it on the coaches and GM without warning.

Everything the man did was pure class. I’ll never love any one player in any sport more than I do S-Jax, but on football defense that I’ve watched, nobody comes close to how much I love and respect AD. Not Ramsey. Not Laurinaitis, Long, and Atogwe. Not Aeneas. AD. A titan amongst men, a demigod come to earth in physical form. Not just as a player, but as a person, too.

He, more than anyone, deserves to write how his career ends - and it was amongst the best.

 

[Loyal]

I’m just happy for the man. I always felt awful that we couldn’t give S-Jax a good team, a true playoff team for him. He never won it all, even though he willed this team’s heart for eight years.

AD won it all, he was the heart and soul of this defense. And he has his family. He’s walking away satisfied with what he did, and he never sprung it on the coaches and GM without warning.

Everything the man did was pure class. I’ll never love any one player in any sport more than I do S-Jax, but on football defense that I’ve watched, nobody comes close to how much I love and respect AD. Not Ramsey. Not Laurinaitis, Long, and Atogwe. Not Aeneas. AD. A titan amongst men, a demigod come to earth in physical form. Not just as a player, but as a person, too.

He, more than anyone, deserves to write how his career ends - and it was amongst the best.

"E tu, Memento?" ~ Will Hayes

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

For some strange reason, while scrolling through thread titles I glanced at this as I passed and then quickly scrolled back up to it

At first I thought it said: Morning, AD- “On my way!”

 

[OnceARam]

I’d say being in mourning is better than being in denial, like most of this board.

“But… He’s coming back for the playoffs!”

 

[Memento]

"E tu, Memento?" ~ Will Hayes

Fate, I love William Hayes and Eugene Sims both. Hayes' work with the homeless is inspiring, and I will always respect Eugene Sims for taking the time out of his day after a hard game to talk with me and my folks after we went on the field after the Thordaddy game.

I still think AD is just...yeah. I've accepted that he's probably not coming back out of retirement. We've left the door open, but he's accomplished everything he's ever wanted, and I have so much respect for the man with whatever choice he makes.