Rams Legend Marshall Faulk Reveals Aaron Donald Retirement Conspiracy Theory

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald has called it quits, retiring at least for now. Marshall Faulk isn't convinced he's finished just yet.

NFC Wild Card Playoffs - Los Angeles Rams v Detroit Lions / Ryan Kang/GettyImages

The Los Angeles Rams are mourning the career of defensive lineman Aaron Donald, whose campaign for Canton came to a close on March 15.

He left the NFL on his own terms, departing nearly as dominant as he entered, having won Defensive Rookie of the Year before three Defensive Player of the Year awards.

While he’s called it curtains, Rams legend Marshall Faulk isn’t convinced that this chapter of his life is truly over. In welcoming Donald to the pantheon of elite former Rams, he expressed a conspiracy theory of sorts.

NFC Wild Card Playoffs - Los Angeles Rams v Detroit Lions / Ryan Kang/GettyImages

On the “Bleav In Rams” podcast, Faulk elaborated on his new tinfoil hat. 

“I’m in disbelief that I’ve concocted a conspiracy theory that he’s done with the guaranteed money, he saw the money that Chris Jones got – and I don’t know if Chris Jones got more money than he got,” Faulk said. “This is in my head and I’m like, he wants more money. He wants to be the highest-paid.”

The Kansas City Chiefs awarded their star defensive tackle with a contract that includes $95 million in guarantees. Donald’s most recent extension guaranteed him $46.5 million, and according to Over the Cap he earned $60 million of $95 million from that contract.

He would have made $30 million if he decided to play in 2024. 

Faulk then spoke about Donald’s off-field commitments and what life after football can look like.

“It looks good for Hollywood right now. I see he’s spending a lot of time with The Rock,” Faulk said. “He might end up on the WWE, might be cookin’ something with The Rock. Who knows? All of that might be in his plans. That’s just in my head …

“Training camp is going to roll around and 99 – and I’m telling you, every professional football player, it’s weird when you’re done playing and everybody else is going to camp and you’re not going. You’re like, ‘What do I do? What do I do here? Everybody is in camo.’ Your routine is broken and it takes a while to get accustomed to the new routine.”

Donald finished his career, spent entirely with Los Angeles, with 111 sacks176 tackles for loss, and 24 forced fumbles. He earned eight total first-team All-Pro selections, including seven consecutive from 2015–2021. Undoubtedly, Donald is one of the greatest defensive lineman to ever touch the gridiron.

Faulk remains hopeful that Donald will make an eventual return to the Rams, even if it’s far-fetched.

“I’m hopeful that Aaron Donald comes back, that he plays. I think there’s more than just a couple of years there,” Faulk said. “But what I don’t know is what the body is feeling like … You don’t know how much he’s investing into being the person that he is and he might be slipping a little bit and he doesn’t want to play without being the best.

“There’s a lot of things in play but I’m hopeful that my conspiracy theory that he’ll be coming back is the truth.”