When will Aaron Donald, Matt Stafford and Sean McVay call it quits?

The Los Angeles Rams did once win a Super Bowl (twice actually but we’re talking about their most recent victory), but the last 15 months have felt like 15 years. Since that time there have been ongoing rumors about Aaron Donald, Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay retiring either last year, this year, or next year.

On ProFootballTalk Mike Florio recently had this to say while talking with Chris Simms:

“I am willing to put this prediction out there, I think it’s very likely Aaron Donald’s last year with the Rams, quite possibly Matthew Stafford’s last year with the Rams and good chance it’s Sean McVay’s last year with the LA Rams”

You can watch the whole clip here and you can fast forward to about the 6 minute and ten second mark to hear the above quote.

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Do I think Florio and Simms know anything about the Los Angeles Rams that others don’t? Not necessarily, but I personally do find the entire conversation interesting as they question how Matthew Stafford will be able to stay healthy for a whole season. Simms even says that Stafford played well last year during the time he was active, but what stuck out to me was the thought of Donald, Stafford and McVay all leaving L.A. after this season.

All good things must end eventually.

When Donald retires, it will be huge blow to a defense that has little to no proven players other than #99. Losing Stafford after this year, even with a backup plan, could hurt the Rams for a long time; perhaps as long as the break in-between Kurt Warner and Stafford. He came in and he won a Super Bowl, so maybe his ride off into the sunset would be a sweet one, but his departure creates a question mark at the position.

Losing Sean McVay would be the biggest loss. I remember the coaching wasteland that was the Rams until McVay arrived. You can see the Rams list of head coaches here. Spoiler: It’s not a great list after after Dick Vermeil and Mike Martz.

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Now would all three of these franchise pieces leave after this upcoming season? I find it hard to see all three leaving at once. If the Rams actually have a decent season, getting close to the playoffs or actually making a postseason run, then the three of them may want to come back for at least one more year to...finally...”Run it back”.

Maybe let’s not say that right now.

This year for the Rams is filled with unknowns. It’s Sean McVay’s first time as a head coach after a losing season. Matthew Stafford already won the Super Bowl and got paid, he’s at a different stage in his career and could be embracing it. Aaron Donald is still considered one of the best to currently play but can he keep that up? Even if he does, will AD’s dominance be enough with the group they have around him?

How much longer can these three stick around and stay together?

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This season could be a big success that shows the Rams do know what they are doing, and they have the right pieces and plans in place to continue to be relevant. It could be another disaster of a season that shows the L.A. Rams won a ring, and all their fans should be grateful and stop waiting around for another. The outcome of this season may determine if Donald, Stafford and McVay wind up in L.A. again for the next season and could determine if McVay sticks around beyond that. If he does come back for 2024, will the retirement rumors ever go away?

What’s going to happen is anyone’s guess. What’s your guess?