Donald announces retirement, Garoppolo to be Rams backup
Aaron Donald spent 10 years flattening quarterbacks, crushing ballcarriers, fighting through perpetual double-teams and generally wrecking NFL offenses. He was relentless, reliable and infinitely resourceful while he led the Los Angeles Rams all the way to a Super Bowl championship.
And on Friday, Donald decided a decade of dominance was enough, as the most accomplished defensive lineman of his generation has retired after a stellar 10-year career.
The three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year made his somewhat surprising announcement on social media. He doesn't plan to have a retirement news conference, but his impact on the Rams and the NFL is already indelible.
Donald, 32, spent his entire career with the Rams, who drafted him in the first round in 2014 out of Pitt. The Pittsburgh native was selected for 10 Pro Bowls and eight All-Pro first teams, and he won the award as the league's top defensive player in 2017, 2018 and 2020.
Donald had a Rams franchiserecord 111 sacks, third in the NFL among active players. He reached the peak of his stardom after the Rams franchise moved from St. Louis back to Los Angeles in 2016. He had a career-high 201/2 sacks in 2018 on the way to his first Super Bowl appearance under coach Sean McVay. GAROPPOLO TO RAMS >> Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has signed with the Los Angeles Rams as the backup to Matthew Stafford. Garoppolo was released Wednesday by the Las Vegas Raiders after one disappointing season. He is best known for his years with the 49ers from 2017-22, during which he went 8-0 as a starter against Los Angeles in the regular season.
PICKETT TO BE TRADED >> The Pittsburgh Steelers are trading quarterback Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles, multiple sources told The Associated Press. Pittsburgh will receive a third-round pick in this year's NFL draft and two seventh-round choices in the 2025 draft in exchange for Pickett and Pittsburgh's fourthround pick this year.
JETS, THOMAS AGREE TO TERMS >> The New York Jets agreed to terms on a contract to re-sign defensive tackle Solomon Thomas on Friday. Thomas, the Stanford alum and former 49er, has played the last two seasons in New York, He had a career-high five sacks last season while playing in every game, including three starts. BEARS SIGN PETTIS >> The Chicago Bears signed wide receiver Dante Pettis to a one-year contract. Pettis, a 2018 49ers draft pick, played for the Bears in 2022 and then re-signed for last season but was placed on injured reserve in August.
College football
DEAL REACHED >> The nine Bowl Subdivision conferences and Notre Dame reached an agreement Friday on a sixyear deal to continue the College Football Playoff through the 2031 season, a significant step that establishes a revenue-sharing plan and allows the CFP to finalize a media rights agreement.
Executive Director Bill Hancock said the deal doesn't lock in a format for the CFP for 2026 and beyond, but it guarantees at least a 12-team field and five conferences having annual access to the playoff through 2031.
College basketball
HOWARD FIRED >> Michigan fired coach Juwan Howard on Friday after five seasons, parting ways with the former Fab Five star whose return to his alma mater included a Big Ten title and advancing in two NCAA Tournaments before closing with two straight disappointing seasons.
Howard finished with an 82-67 record with the Wolverines.
WEST VALLEY ADVANCES >> Elijah Mahi scored 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting and Shakir Odunewu had 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead West Valley past Cerro Coso-Ridgecrest 79-64 and into the California Community College Athletic Association state semifinals at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.
The Vikings (31-0) will play Yuba today at 5 p.m. for a spot in Sunday's final. Yuba defeated San Diego City 90-83 on Friday.
Golf
CLARK TAKES LEAD >> Wyndham Clark ran off four straight birdies on the front nine Friday in The Players Championship and finished with a 7-under 65, one shot short of the 36hole record at the TPC Sawgrass.
Clark had a four-shot lead over Xander Schauffele (69) and Nick Taylor (68), who played in the afternoon and had to cope with warm, breezy conditions on greens that remained surprisingly soft on the Stadium Course.