LOS ANGELES — Aaron Donald spent 10 years flattening quarterbacks, crushing ball carriers, fighting through perpetual double-teams and generally wrecking NFL offenses.
He was relentless, reliable and infinitely resourceful while he led the Los Angeles Rams all the way to a Super Bowl championship.
And on Friday, Donald decided a decade of dominance was enough.
The most accomplished defensive lineman of his generation has retired after a stellar 10-year career.
The three-time NFL defensive player of the year made his somewhat surprising announcement on social media. He doesn’t plan to have a retirement news conference or any public farewell, but his impact on the Rams and the NFL is already indelible.