When Aaron Donald signed a six-year contract extension worth up to $135 million with the Los Angeles Rams to become the highest-paid defensive player in history back in 2018, he immediately sent a text to his father, Archie.
“You created a monster,” read the message. The self-assessment wasn’t wrong three years ago, and it is still on the money today.
Since he was selected by the Rams in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Donald has been a revelation. He has been named to the Pro Bowl in each year of his career and won the coveted Defensive Player of the Year award on three occasions.
Donald is a gameplay-wrecking interior phenom unlike the sport has ever seen. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive players of all time, with many clamouring over his unique combination of explosive power and unbelievable agility for a man that stands 6ft 1ins and 127kg. In fact, some believe his ability places among the pantheon of the greatest players in NFL history - and Osi Umenyiora, two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants, agrees.
“I think if you’re looking at him as an all-round player, you could make the argument that he plays his position better than anyone else has played their position, outside of some of the most elite quarterbacks we’ve seen,” the former defensive end said. “You’re looking at him like Jerry Rice or Tom Brady in terms of what he’s done as an individual.
“His team hasn’t quite had the success of those other guys - but in terms of what he’s done as a player, he’s comparable to the very best players we’ve ever seen in the game.”
The monster that is Donald was born in the Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighbourhood of Pittsburgh. A gritty unruly suburb, Donald was moulded into an NFL legend in the basement of his house, where his father would work out in his home-made gym. Archie introduced Donald to strength training to give his son’s life some structure, and Donald took to it like a duck to water.
Donald was introduced to weightlifting at the age of 12, and he spent the bulk of his childhood either out on the football field or in the gym with his father. After waking up at 4:30am every weekday morning, the two would meet in the basement by 4:45am where they would workout each muscle group for nearly two hours.
Known as one of the game’s greatest players and perhaps the best interior defensive lineman in NFL history, it is fair to say the hard work has paid off.
“It’s his explosive ability. He’s incredibly strong, quick, tenacious, and hard-working,” added Umenyiora. “He does a lot of film work and studying so he understands the game before he goes out onto the field, so a lot of the things you see him doing, it might look like he’s freestyling but he’s really not. He’s seen something on tape that has given him the ability to go out and execute like that.
“Basically, the thing that makes him the best is his explosive power and insane agility. You never see the combination of athleticism, speed and power in one person. Usually you have a guy that is very athletic but not that strong, or he’s strong but not quite powerful - Donald brings all three together to create a three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
“He’s probably going to win another one before the end of his career.”
It’s not just the raw, inhuman power, agility and speed that makes Donald such a valuable football player, but his stamina as well. It certainly helped him achieve a remarkable 20.5 sacks in 2018 as the Rams reached Super Bowl LIII.
“The best defensive line I’ve ever been around, like Osi, are in elite shape to play every down and that’s what Aaron Donald does,” said former cornerback Jason Bell. “He can play every down, and that’s the main thing you need from that position.”
It appears all the early starts and heavy lifting has paid off. Donald is the Rams’ franchise leader in career sacks, and he continues to perform at an exceptional level. He was named a First-Team All-Pro this season, one of five players to be a unanimous selection.
For a man of his size, you’d assume Donald is well-fed, but there’s a deep desire - even after everything he has accomplished - that keeps the monster hungry.
“I don't know what it feels like to win the Super Bowl. I know what it feels like to be there, but I don't know what it feels like to win,” Donald told reporters this week. “I feel like I accomplished a lot in a short amount of time in this league.
“The only thing I'm lacking now is being a world champion. To get to that point, we’ve got to win this week.”
Watch Jason Bell and Osi Umenyiora on the BBC NFL Show, Friday at Midnight on BBC One. For more NFL action, tune into NFL Gamepass and Sky Sports NFL this Sunday 30 January to catch the Conference Championships. Bengals vs. Chiefs at 8PM and 49ers vs. Rams at 11:30pm.
