"I want to learn from talking to guys like Shaq" - Aaron Donald reveals conversations he had with NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal while refusing to rule out early retirement
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald could possibly walk away from the game. Since becoming a Super Bowl champion when the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI, there have been some contract negotiation issues that have left the defensive tackle considering his options.
@brgridiron
Rodney Harrison said Aaron Donald could retire if Rams win the Super Bowl 👀 @brgridiron https://t.co/cxSUEV51M4
He appeared on the I Am Athlete podcast and spoke about learning some things post-retirement from an influence like a guy like Shaquille O'Neal.
Here's what he said:
"I gotta learn a lot so it’s just more taking a lot of knowledge. Got some different investment things that I’m a part of and continue to be a part of. I want to learn from like talking to guys like Shaq."
He continued:
"I want to just pick his brain a little bit because he’s a guy that reached out to me last year and we exchanged contacts so that’s somebody for sure just from an investment standpoint with everything he’s involved with.”
Aaron Donald is at peace with retiring if a new contract with the Rams doesn't get worked out.
(via @IAMATHLETEpod) https://t.co/IxWiDzhqMu
Donald is already making some post-football moves. He recently signed with Kanye West and Antonio Brown's "Donda Sports" and even teased at a possible sneaker collab in the future.
Aaron Donald may retire if he cannot come to terms with the Rams
Aaron Donald could potentially walk away from the game if he cannot agree to a new deal. He said he only wants to play if there's a chance to win another Super Bowl but that business needs to be handled first.
He said:
"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, and we got to handle the business side of things, and if that wasn’t to get handled then, you know, [it’s an] it-is-what-it-is type of situation."
Donald added:
"I’ll be fine regardless, 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 I was going to play eight years and be done. That’s just what I’ve been saying."
He concluded by saying:
"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's got to make sense to me and my family.”
This may not be what Los Angeles fans are wanting to hear right now. We shall have to see how the situation develops as the 2022 season creeps closer.