Aaron Donald reveals his priorities as retirement is still on table



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Aaron Donald reveals his priorities as retirement is still on table

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald has made it clear he will continue his career only if he feels he has a great chance at winning another Super Bowl. Also, Donald acknowledged the importance of the "business side of things." Just before the start of the Super Bowl, it was reported Donald might retire if the Rams win.

The Rams and Donald have been having conversations regarding an extension but nothing has been agreed yet. Donald is signed through 2024 but he has no guaranteed money left on his new deal. "It ain't about the money, it's a business at the end of the day," Donald said on the I Am Athlete podcast, via ESPN.

"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."

Donald: Playing eight years was my target when i came to the NFL

Donald, who was the 13th overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, revealed his goal from Day 1 was to play eight years and then probably walk away from the game.

"But me talking about retirement, that was happening way before we won a Super Bowl. I've been saying that since I got into the league that I was going to play eight years and be done. That's just what I've been saying. It just came out and then everybody think that, 'Oh, he said if he wins a Super Bowl he's going to retire.'

Nah, I got teammates, coaches, my family who know about this. I said I'm going to play eight years, and I'm going to probably be done playing football," he said. Donald has a number of personal accolades to his name and a Super Bowl was the only thing he was lacking.

"But winning a Super Bowl, you get kind of a little addicted to it. I want to feel that again. I ain't going to lie, that experience is like none other. If I was to play, it's just to win another Super Bowl, but at the end of the day, it's still a business and it got to make sense to me and my family," Donald added.