UPDATE - Aaron Donald Contract Extension - SIGNED

[Merlin]

We tend to take AD for granted. I think doing so is unwise and unfair.

I can't agree on either count there. He's not taken for granted with the fan base, fans love him. He was the guy I wanted to see get that ring more than anyone else to include McVay. I just don't like the direction this is going and it bothers me that he may price himself out of horns now that he's got that ring.

 

[PhillyRam]

I can't agree on either count there. He's not taken for granted with the fan base, fans love him. He was the guy I wanted to see get that ring more than anyone else to include McVay. I just don't like the direction this is going and it bothers me that he may price himself out of horns now that he's got that ring.

Yeah, not only that, but it seems even if he comes back, he may not be at the level he needs to be mentally. Looks like for him there will be a SB hangover.

 

[kurtfaulk]

Yeah, not only that, but it seems even if he comes back, he may not be at the level he needs to be mentally. Looks like for him there will be a SB hangover.

There better not be if the Rams make him the highest paid defensive player.

Anyway AD is always ready to Play. He doesn't do anything less than 100%.

.

 

[Liberator]

Everything reeks of negotiating tactics but they always look like that from the outside we have no idea what's being said and what peoples real motivations are etc...

 

[MachS]

This might need its own thread:


View: https://youtu.be/y_ANlsE5fA0

 

[T-REX]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/aaron-...f-public-contract-negotiations-033118369.html​

Aaron Donald floats retirement again in latest round of public contract negotiations

Jason Owens
Mon, May 30, 2022, 11:31 PM

Aaron Donald wants a new contract.
The Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle has spent the bulk of his career as arguably the best player in football. His current deal doesn't pay him as such. Armed with a Super Bowl ring and all the personal accolades an NFL defender can accomplish, Donald is saying that he's fine with retiring at 31 years old if he and the Rams don't come to terms.

He started the chatter before the Super Bowl and doubled down on Monday on the "I am Athlete" podcast alongside retired NFL players Brandon Marshall and Pacman Jones. Per a ProFootball Talk transcript, Donald repeated four times during his appearance that he's "at peace" with his NFL career. But it sounds like he's game to keep playing as long as the money's right.

"It ain't about the money," Donald said per PFT before mentioning "business" repeatedly. "But it’s a business at the end of the day. That’s what you’ve got to see.

"For me, it’s about winning. I don’t want to play football if I can’t win anyway, so I feel like if I got a real opportunity to win another Super Bowl, then it makes sense to play. But again, it’s still a business. We’ve got to handle the business side of things, and if that wasn’t to get handled then, you know, it is what it is type of situation. I’ll be fine regardless."

So it appears to be about winning for Donald. And business. Which all makes sense.

Where Donald's contract status stands​

Donald has three years remaining on the six-year, $135 million deal that he signed in 2018 and has since outperformed as the market's moved in his favor. He also has significant leverage in that he could certainly afford to retire with no qualms.

While it may be a negotiating tactic, the fact that he could call it quits with a Super Bowl ring, seven All-Pro nods, three Defensive Player of the Year trophies and a first-ballot ticket to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his pocket is compelling. His $97 million in career football earnings certainly helps his case.

But he'd certainly like to earn more, which in this case likely means exceeding the $28 million T.J. Watt's slated to make annually as the highest-paid defender in football. Competing for another Super Bowl would sweeten the deal.

But if it doesn't happen, Donald will be fine. Just ask him.

“I don’t need to play football to be fine," Donald continued. "I’m fine. I was blessed to play this game, to make the money I made. The accomplishments I made in eight years is like — I’m complete. If I can win another one, that’s great. But if not, I’m at peace.”

 

[tempests]

Yeah, not only that, but it seems even if he comes back, he may not be at the level he needs to be mentally. Looks like for him there will be a SB hangover.

He's still posting his workout and training videos online this spring. He looks as driven as he always does. He's definitely getting himself ready for the upcoming season.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

Man it really burned me when one of those guys said AD shouldn't be playing for $14m.

He got a huge signing bonus. It's amazing how everyone, especially the player, forget about that. The Rams are actually paying him $21m for this season.

Why the misinformation?

.

 

[JonRam99]

.

Man it really burned me when one of those guys said AD shouldn't be playing for $14m.

He got a huge signing bonus. It's amazing how everyone, especially the player, forget about that. The Rams are actually paying him $21m for this season.

Why the misinformation?

.

Good point.
But even at $21m he's still underpaid compared to Watt, et. al. He's more than proved his worth, in TWO SB appearances (let's not forget, he helped keep us in the game all the way to 0:00).
I'd pay him $30m/yr min., however that shakes out.

 

[OregonRamsFan]

I can't agree on either count there. He's not taken for granted with the fan base, fans love him. He was the guy I wanted to see get that ring more than anyone else to include McVay. I just don't like the direction this is going and it bothers me that he may price himself out of horns now that he's got that ring.

By saying we take him for granted, I mean many of us think he’s coming back 100 percent for sure. We are so used to him being our rock that we haven’t really parsed in our minds what we would look like without him. He is seriously considering his options now. That’s what I was trying to say.

 

[Rams43]

AD isn’t gonna retire anytime soon, trust me…

It would be an irrational decision on multiple levels.

Here’s my thinking…


AD loves this game like few others ever have.

He is currently healthy.

He is at or near his peak physically.

His remaining career earning these millions of dollars annually is probably down to a mere handful of years and it would be a colossal blunder to throw even one of them away needlessly. The ultimate self inflicted wound career wise.

He just bought a beautiful palace here in LA.

He loves McVay and his other coaches here.

He loves his teammates here.

His chances of winning another ring are as good here as anywhere else in the league and that’s reportedly a huge thing for AD.

Retirement would cripple any potential opportunities for him outside football which would render his Donda Sports signing pointless.


I think any single one of the above would prevent any serious consideration of early retirement for AD, frankly. But when we add them all up? It just seems painfully obvious that he won’t retire anytime soon.

As an aside, is there any doubt that the Rams don’t already know all of this? Or that they won’t negotiate accordingly? Rams will probably make some kind of a face saving accommodation for AD but they know full well that they have all the leverage here.

 

[BonifayRam]

Rams have a lingering Aaron Donald problem - ProFootballTalk

The Rams have done their best to glass-half-full their way through the possibility that defensive tackle Aaron Donald will retire. The possibility remains that Aaron Donald will retire.The question ultimately becomes whether Donald will play for $14.25 million this year and, if not, how much...

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/article261973965.html#storylink=mainstage

Aaron Donald 'at peace' with retirement amid contract negotiations with Rams: 'I don’t need to play football to be fine' | Sporting News

Aaron Donald wants to continue playing in the NFL, but noted that he wants fair compensation to do so.

www.sportingnews.com

Aaron Donald still weighing retirement, would be 'at peace' without football

Aaron Donald wants to win another Super Bowl, but he’s still considering retirement. “I don’t need football to be fine.”

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[dang]

I don’t see Donald retiring anytime soon but I do see a play for $35m+/year extension. I’m pretty sure another team will be willing to pay that for the next 3 years of Donald. Not sure how the Rams will respond to that.

 

[gabriel18]

Yes he deserves more money. He’s also smart enough to know there is only so much to go around. He can’t win it by himself. No win situation for the Rams.

 

[dang]

Yes he deserves more money. He’s also smart enough to know there is only so much to go around. He can’t win it by himself. No win situation for the Rams.

He’s now represented by Kanye West and AB so there’s that. One thing for sure he is more valuable as an entertainment resource being an active player.

 

[Ellard80]

yeah i love its all about winning.. when hamstringing the organization with a big contract has the opposite effect.

I hope they get something worked out but that shit drives me crazy.

 

[Turducken]

Good point.
But even at $21m he's still underpaid compared to Watt, et. al. He's more than proved his worth, in TWO SB appearances (let's not forget, he helped keep us in the game all the way to 0:00).
I'd pay him $30m/yr min., however that shakes out.

AD's cap hit this year is $26.75m, but $12.5m of that was already paid out in a signing bonus years ago.

If you tore up his contract and just agreed to pay him $30m in 2022, the $12.5m still counts against next year's salary cap (making his hit $42.5m).

AD was prepaid for almost half his salary this season. We can't make that go away, it has to be part of his contract moving forward.

I'm kinda at the point where I just ignore the talking heads on player salary issues. They don't know what they are talking about most of the time.

 

[OregonRamsFan]

AD isn’t gonna retire anytime soon, trust me…

It would be an irrational decision on multiple levels.

Here’s my thinking…


AD loves this game like few others ever have.

He is currently healthy.

He is at or near his peak physically.

His remaining career earning these millions of dollars annually is probably down to a mere handful of years and it would be a colossal blunder to throw even one of them away needlessly. The ultimate self inflicted wound career wise.

He just bought a beautiful palace here in LA.

He loves McVay and his other coaches here.

He loves his teammates here.

His chances of winning another ring are as good here as anywhere else in the league and that’s reportedly a huge thing for AD.

Retirement would cripple any potential opportunities for him outside football which would render his Donda Sports signing pointless.


I think any single one of the above would prevent any serious consideration of early retirement for AD, frankly. But when we add them all up? It just seems painfully obvious that he won’t retire anytime soon.

As an aside, is there any doubt that the Rams don’t already know all of this? Or that they won’t negotiate accordingly? Rams will probably make some kind of a face saving accommodation for AD but they know full well that they have all the leverage here.

Irrational? He a multi-millionaire and set for life. I think he wants to go out on top. That means winning another SB. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t need to play football to feel successful. He’s been there, done that. I have no idea what he’s going to do. I’m not sure he really knows how this plays out either.

 

[AZRams]

Antonio Brown is President.

Antonio Brown Joins Kanye West's Donda Sports, Nabs $2 Million Super Bowl Suite 'For the Kids'

Antonio Brown is set to bring an "athlete's perspective" the the Kanye West-owned sports company Donda Sports.

www.rollingstone.com

Antonio Brown Joins Kanye West’s Donda Sports​

Antonio Brown is joining the ranks of Kanye West’s new sports endeavor. On Monday, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer confirmed he joined Donda Sports as its president as he posted the $2.2 million invoice of VIP and suite tickets to Sunday’s Super Bowl, which he says will be used to invite “kids with their families to the game.”

“As President, it was important to me to book the Donda Suite for this year’s SUPERBOWL LVI. This is a game meant to be watched together,” he wrote on Instagram. “This is the love and unity we need to push. THIS IS FOR THE KIDS, OUR NEXT GENERATION!!!”

Brown’s post comes a week after Hollywood Unlocked shared a press release from Donda Sports where Brown was announced as a new member of the organization, meant to provide “professional and wellness support” to athletes.

Yeah...wtf.

No disrespect to Mr. Donald but why on earth would you tie your financial future to those two? Great at what they do, yes, but not the most stable individuals in the history of the world.

 

[MachS]

Surprised this hasn't been posted yet, does this change anyone's opinion on the AD situation? Worth a listen there's a lot of good stuff in here. Especially how AD talks about OBJ!


View: https://youtu.be/y_ANlsE5fA0