Following Rams Super Bowl win, retirement talk for both Pitt star Aaron Donald and coach Sean McVay?

During the Super Bowl pregame show, NBC aired an interview that Rodney Harrison did with Los Angeles Rams star and former Pitt Panther Aaron Donald. Harrison told the audience that Donald informed him he might retire if the Rams won the Super Bowl.

“He’s big on legacy,” Harrison said. “He doesn’t want to be known as a defender that accomplished so many individual things but never won a Super Bowl.

“But he also told me this. If he wins a Super Bowl, there’s a strong possibility that he could walk away from the game and retire.”

"If he wins a #SuperBowl, there's a strong possibility that he could walk away from the game and retire."

Rodney Harrison on Aaron Donald and his future in football. #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/tFzkHz8Axc

— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 13, 2022

That would be a stunner. Donald is 30. He has played eight years in the league. And while, as Harrison points out, Donald’s body might be beaten up, he is still in tremendous shape and just finished third in voting for the Defensive Player of the Year. Donald has won that award three times, including in 2020.

After the Rams won the game 23-20, Donald—who had two sacks during the contest—was asked by NBC’s Michele Tafoya if he was going to “call it a day.” He didn’t answer directly and just said that he wanted to “play in the confetti” with his family.

Donald got choked up during the interview.

"I wanted this so bad. I dreamed this. I DREAMED this. It's surreal. Look at this."

99 has us in tears. ???????????? #SBLVI pic.twitter.com/1NZC2tvDUj

— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 14, 2022

We do know it was Tafoya’s last day with NBC. She is leaving to pursue other interests “both personally and professionally.” Tafoya worked five Super Bowls. She has been at NBC since 2011. Her sports media career began in 1993. Before joining NBC, she previously covered the NFL for CBS and ABC/ESPN.

Television may be calling Rams coach Sean McVay, too. By winning the Super Bowl at the age of 36 years and 20 days old, he surpassed Mike Tomlin as the youngest coach to ever win the Super Bowl. Tomlin was 36 years, 10 months and 18 days old when his Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.

But Andrew Marchand of the New York Post said McVay may be flirting with the idea of changing careers. He reported that if McVay leaves coaching after winning the Super Bowl, ESPN would pursue him for “Monday Night Football.”

It’s Marchand’s opinion that McVay would likely be able to command a salary of more than $10 million per year.

Related:

• Aaron Donald's trainer not surprised by retirement rumors: 'He might as well go out on top'
• Watching Aaron Donald win Super Bowl an emotional moment for ex-Penn Hills coach

“He could also potentially have top broadcasting options with Fox and Amazon, according to sources,” Marchand wrote. “This week, McVay added some more fire to the idea he could leave the sidelines by saying he would not be an NFL coaching lifer and wants to start a family. He is engaged to Ukrainian model/luxury real estate agent Veronika Khomyn.”

In the wake of the story, McVay told the NFL Network he is committed to the Rams and coaching. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that McVay makes $8.5 million annually to coach. He has two years left on his Rams contract but is in line for an extension.

Perhaps the television conversation is leverage to get more money out of the Rams. As Marchand intimated, “Bill Belichick is the highest-paid coach in the NFL at $18 million per year. That is close to the same number CBS pays Tony Romo per season to analyze games.”

With Mark Madden out this week, Joe Rutter steps in for the “Madden Monday” podcast. We talk about the Super Bowl result, the news surrounding Donald’s future and some Steelers quarterback-related matters.

Listen: Tim Benz and Joe Rutter talk Super Bowl LVI, Aaron Donald’s future and Steelers QB issues