Rumblings of early retirements for Sean McVay and Aaron Donald have, to some degree, clouded the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI celebration. At the team’s championship parade Wednesday, however, the duo did not make it sound like immediate exits are in play.
McVay started a “run it back” chant, while Donald also addressed the situation in a way that would make it difficult to imagine him retiring this year.
“We built a super team. We can bring a super team back. We can run it back,” Donald said, via USA Today’s Josh Peter.
Chiming in on the matter shortly after McVay’s appearance on stage at the parade, Rams COO Kevin Demoff said the 36-year-old head coach is “ready to defend our title,” via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. This would obviously be great news for the Rams, who would be one of the frontrunners to win Super Bowl LVII with McVay and Donald back. Some adjustments might need to be made in order to ensure both return.
The Rams may need to adjust Donald’s contract to ensure his 2022 return, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Donald has shared with teammates he would be ready to walk away earlier than expected, though Fowler adds these teammates have not exactly believed him. Still, this will be a situation to monitor this offseason.
Money being a driver for this retirement buzz this should not be a big surprise. Joey Bosa, Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt have surpassed Donald’s salary since he and the Rams agreed on a six-year, $135MM extension in 2018. Khalil Mack topped Donald’s $22.5MM-AAV mark later that week, but the Bears defender only did so by $500K per year. Watt’s Steelers re-up tops Donald by $5.5MM per year. With Donald going into his age-31 season, it would make sense for him to capitalize with a final top-market accord. Three seasons remain on Donald’s deal, so the Rams making an adjustment might not involve a new contract altogether.
McVay is expected to receive another extension. His current $8.5MM-per-year deal runs through 2023. Given the Rams’ arc since he took over in 2017 (four playoff appearances, two Super Bowls), he can demand to be the game’s highest-paid HC. McVay signed his last deal in 2019. During Super Bowl week, McVay addressed the topic of an earlier-than-expected exit, and when discussing his 2022 status Monday, the five-year HC did not commit to being back on the sidelines next season. Factoring in McVay’s Wednesday comments and the team he will have in place, it would be a major surprise if the Rams needed a new coach soon.
Go out on top like costanza
Leave them wanting more
The jerk store called, and they are running out of you!
Or he could try get fired and do slow donuts in the parking lot while dragging the Lombardi Trophy behind him.
McVay has a custom desk he can sleep under and avoid Les after a loss.
It’s really hard to process everything happening to this franchise right now. I’m just enjoying the moment for my team and my city. Thank you Rams!
Hoping you got to enjoy the parade with the dozens…
Rams give a big shout out to the Refs!!
And if the Bengals won they would have to give a big shout out. We all saw the face mask happen. So it is what it is.
No not really…..that was a makeup call by the Ref’s in the last moments of the game with a game deciding call….totally different story…all along the Ref’s were “letting them play” yet make a call like that in the final moments when you know it will likely decide the game…..how about the false start that wasn’t called by the same crew that should have gone against the Rams and would have negated the TD…..we’re waiting!
As soon as they made that call everyone knew that game was over and the Rams would get a TD. Hard to even see where the reciever was ‘held’ when there was no jersey in hand.
Kroenke checks don’t bounce, the officiating crew couldn’t wait to meet the estate planners after the game. Put the 3 words Officials Trust Funds in any order you like.
Question: has any team in any sport ever won a championship without someone questioning the officiating immediately after?
Once. The time Bobby Boucher showed up at halftime and the Mud Dogs won the Bourbon Bowl.
I can’t imagine anyone suggesting that better officiating would have resulted in the Redskins winning the 1940 NFL championship. They were crushed by the Bears 73-0.
RIGGED!
Enjoy the well-earned trophy.
Ease back on the “run in back” rhetoric for a bit because the man behind the curtain conceals a historic/first time ever performance was somewhere between “what got you to the dance” and “the horse you rode in on”
lol
Did anyone think this clown f was really going to retire?