LA Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald shook the NFL world this Friday after announcing to hang up the cleats. For both the Melonheads and any football enthusiast, it’s no secret how the star out of Pittsburgh has etched his name in the history books with no shortage of accolades — from ten Pro Bowl nods in his ten-year-long stint to winning the Defensive Player of the Year award three times — which only two other players have managed to achieve. It was a rough day for fans to bid the future Hall of Famer goodbye, but what no one expected was for Kelly Stafford to make a statement that no Rams fan was prepared to hear at this moment.
Advertisement
While reacting to a post about Aaron Donald’s shocking announcement, Rams QB Matthew Stafford‘s wife, Kelly, had nothing but nice words for the now-former DT. Or, at least, in the first part. Initially, she expressed that she now has to watch football without Aaron on the field, something she never thought about. She also noted that Aaron has ‘set the bar high’ for the upcoming generation and wished him a bright future.
However, in the latter part of her comment, Kelly wrote that she might convince her husband to join Aaron on the couch. The new generation of Melonheads, who saw Matthew Stafford lead the club to their second Super Bowl victory after 21 years, couldn’t believe what Kelly was saying. From “Rams not ready for this” to urging the Lions to take Kelly back, leaving Matthew in LA, it’s nothing short of chaos. Take a look:
Netizens were quick to mention that the Rams have recently signed Jimmy Garoppolo, who could very well take over the starting position if Matthew does decide to call it quits. But they also remarked that the journeyman will not be able to hold the fort like their Super Bowl-winning shot-caller.
Matthew Expresses Gratitude for His Retiring Teammate with a Heartfelt Note
Even though Kelly faced flak for her comment, the Rams QB, on the other hand, left fans in awe with a thoughtful comment. Aaron Donald took to his Instagram to share a montage video of his dominance on the gridiron, and two photos featuring heartfelt notes for the fans. He thanked St. Louis where he spent the first two years of his career as a Ram, and then Los Angeles, where the franchise has since moved. Additionally, he thanked the organization and his family, who stood by him through thick and thin.
His post has since attracted a lot of attention, but his now-former QB’s note stands out. Matthew said that he ‘loved’ being on the field with Aaron, and “more so when we were wearing the same jersey!” He further said, “The best to ever do it! Happy for you and Ready to see what you do next!”
It’s a sad day indeed for the Melonheads. The Rams are going into the 2024 season on the back of a very narrow loss in the Wild Card Round. And surprisingly, it was against Stafford’s former team, the Lions, who, after 32 years, managed to secure a victory in the postseason. Surely, the Fearsome Foursome will be able to make do without Aaron, and let Matthew hang up his cleats with in peace with a Super Bowl run. At the age of 36, he will likely stick around for a few more years, but we have seen shocking announcements as such every season.
