After their wild-card round loss to the Detroit Lions, the Rams sat in the locker room, with rookie defensive tackle Kobie Turner feeling downcast after the disappointing playoff exit. However, Aaron Donald approached him with a smile.
“He said, ‘Y’all got a lot of great football left to play,’” Turner recalls. “That was one of the moments where it really hit.”
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Turner then understood what the world would discover two months later: Donald, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year and future Hall of Famer, had played his final game. In March, Donald announced his retirement, marking the beginning of a new era for the Rams.
Many leaders remain the same. Head coach Sean McVay is entering his eighth season with the team. Quarterback Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp lead the offense, while young talents like Turner, Puka Nacua, and Kyren Williams aim to build on their breakout seasons.
For ten years, Donald had been the cornerstone of the Rams, his influence altering opponents’ strategies in ways that benefitted his coaches and teammates. Now, the Rams must forge a new path without one of the greatest stars of this generation.
