Aaron Donald declared his retirement four months ago, but the actual transaction was not completed until Friday, when the Rams added the future Hall of Famer to the NFL’s reserve/retired list. Donald is not in Loyola Marymount’s training camp, but his influence is seen on a daily basis, according to defensive coordinator Chris Shula.
“We see him all the time on tape, and we talk about it a lot,” Shula said after a run-through. “But obviously, we’re moving forward with the guys we have here and trying to build the best defense we can.” With quarterback Matthew Stafford, receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, running back Kyren Williams, and an experienced and revamped offensive line, the Rams’ offense is hardly a question mark. However, the defensive has evolved.
Shula, 38, is in his first season as coordinator after working as a defensive position coach for seven seasons on coach Sean McVay’s staff.
Shula worked under former Rams coordinators Wade Phillips, Brandon Staley and Raheem Morris, helping the Rams to five playoff appearances, two Super Bowls and one championship.
