San Fransisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams isn’t looking forward to lining up against Aaron Donald for another season.
Williams told reporters Tuesday that, while Donald’s contract was deserved, he wished that Donald would have decided to hang it up for good.
“I wish he would have retired,” Williams said with a laugh, via Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area.
#49ers Trent Williams on #LARams Aaron Donald’s new contract – “I wish he would have retired. <laugh> He deserved a contract. We all know what he can do. I don’t know him on a personal level but I like competing against him. Brings out the best in all of us.”
— Jennifer Lee Chan – also bluesky @jenniferleechan (@jenniferleechan) June 7, 2022
On Monday, the Los Angeles Rams reworked Donald’s contract to make him the first non-quarterback to make over $30 million annually. Donald will make $65 million guaranteed over 2022 and 2023, and would make $30 million in 2024 if he chooses to play. Donald had hinted at his possible retirement as recently as late May.
Donald’s contract is certainly much deserved. The 31-year-old has made the Pro Bowl in all of his eight NFL seasons. He has been named a first-team All-Pro seven consecutive times. Last season, Donald had 12.5 sacks and a career-high 84 total tackles in 17 games. Donald had 15 tackles in two regular season games against the 49ers last season, and three tackles with two quarterback hits in their NFC Championship Game matchup.
Williams, 33, also acknowledged that he enjoys competing with Donald.
“He deserved a contract. We all know what he can do,” Williams said. “I don’t know him on a personal level but I like competing against him. Brings out the best in all of us.”
The two will get to line up against each other twice during the upcoming regular season. The Rams travel to San Francisco for a Monday night game on October 3. They will host the 49ers later that month on October 30.
