Getty Taylor Rapp and Donte Deayon double team D'Wayne Eskridge on December 21, 2021 in Inglewood.
Austin Blythe isn’t the only former Los Angeles Rams player to call it a career this week, who suited up for the Rams in 2017-2020. One member of the Rams’ Super Bowl 56 champs has also made the decision to retire.
Donte Deayon, who was praised by the Rams for overcoming his diminutive stature and emerging as a brief starter in the secondary, sent a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announcing he’s calling it a career on Wednesday, March 2. The 5-foot-9, 159-pound cornerback ends a six-season run in the league but was last seen on the Rams’ Super Bowl winning team.
“Only God could write what’s destined for me. Thank you everyone it truly has been a blessing playing football a game I love for 20 years! Six professional years! Thank you God happy retirement to me,” Deayon said on Twitter.
In his letter to the commissioner, Deayon shared how one of his highlights was winning the Super Bowl with the Rams, calling it “an unforgettable experience, and I am proud to have been a part of a team that achieved such a significant milestone.”
‘Double D’ Won Over Sean McVay
Deayon wasn’t a household name on a defense led by Jalen Ramsey in the secondary then playing alongside Von Miller, Leonard Floyd and Aaron Donald. However, he brought a feisty demeanor and high football IQ to the defense.
Deayon managed to see some starting action in Week 6 against the New York Giants on the road. The small cornerback still held his own against the Giants — surrendering five catches but limiting receivers to 25 yards his side per Pro Football Reference Advanced Stats. And that was on 11 targets from quarterback Daniel Jones. Deayon also finished with four tackles that day. His head coach Sean McVay spoke vibrantly about Deayon’s play that game.
“Double D is a really smart, instinctual player, great competitor,” McVay said to reporters. “He did a great job being able to play outside. He played some inside, played over 50 snaps for us and was a heavy contributor in a big way. I thought he did a great job. Definitely wasn’t too big for him, came up and made some tackles as an enforcer in some of the run fits. He did a really good job. I was really pleased with him.”
Deayon himself said to Kevin Modesti of the Orange County Register: “It was really exciting. Not to prove to them (the Giants) or prove to anybody, but to prove to myself that I put in the work (and could) play on Sundays and play well. It was amazing for it all to come to life.”
From there, Deayon played in nine more regular season games. He delivered eight games of allowing three catches or less his side — and that includes the two receptions for 11 yards he allowed in the Super Wild Card Weekend Playoff romp of the Arizona Cardinals.
Deayon Also Gave Himself a Unique Moniker
Deayon only had one start in a career that saw 21 games of action. However, he gave himself this unique moniker: The 6th man.
“If the NFL had a 6th man of the year award like the NBA. I’d have it! best In The League at filling a role!” Deayon said on July 8, 2022.
Deayon was also popular with his personality, which was a highlight when the Rams were featured on the popular HBO documentary “Hard Knocks” in 2020 — which included mimicking Aaron Donald.
But again, he won over the Rams with his ability to step up and deliver the punishing hit not once, but twice during a live game while also proving he has hops despite his stature.
Deayon ends his career with 48 tackles, 40 solo stops, five pass deflections and two tackles for a loss. He also suited up for the Giants for the first two seasons of his career after going undrafted out of Boise State in 2016.
Deayon is now the second member of the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning team to retire — joining All-Pro Andrew Whitworth as the retired players.