Aaron Donald facts for kids
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Donald with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | May 23, 1991 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 280 lb (127 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Penn Hills (Penn Hills, Pennsylvania) |
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| College: | Pittsburgh (2010–2013) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Aaron Charles Donald (born May 23, 1991) is a former professional football player. He played as a defensive tackle for 10 seasons with the St. Louis and Los Angeles Rams teams in the National Football League (NFL). Many people consider him one of the best defensive players in football history.
Donald played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers. During his senior year, he won several major awards, including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy, and Lombardi Award. The St. Louis Rams chose him in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played his first two seasons in St. Louis before the team moved to Los Angeles. Throughout his NFL career, Donald was named Defensive Player of the Year a record three times. He was also selected for the Pro Bowl in all 10 of his seasons and earned eight first-team All-Pro honors. Donald was a key player when the Rams won Super Bowl LVI.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Aaron Donald grew up in Pittsburgh with his two siblings. His father helped him start working out at a young age to give him more structure. Donald later said he was "lazy as a kid" before his father's guidance. By age 12, he and his dad would wake up early to train in their basement gym.
Donald went to Penn Hills High School. He played high school football there and was chosen for the All-State team in his last two years. As a senior, he had 63 tackles and 11 sacks. He also played on the offensive side of the ball as an offensive guard.
Experts saw Donald as a promising player. He decided to play college football at the University of Pittsburgh, which was close to his hometown.
College Football Career
In 2010, Donald started his college career at the University of Pittsburgh. As a freshman, he played in all 13 games. He recorded 11 tackles and two sacks.
In 2011, Donald became a starter as a sophomore. He had a great season with 47 tackles and 11 sacks. He was named a second-team All-Big East Conference player.
As a junior in 2012, Donald continued to excel. He made 64 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He earned first-team All-Big East honors.
His senior year in 2013 was outstanding. Donald was one of the best defensive players in the entire NCAA. He had 59 tackles and 11 sacks. He was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was recognized as a unanimous All-American.
College Statistics Overview
Here's a quick look at Aaron Donald's college performance:
| Pittsburgh Panthers | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games Played | Combined Tackles | Tackles for Loss | Sacks | Interceptions | Forced Fumbles |
| 2010 | 13 | 11 | 3 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 13 | 45 | 16 | 11.0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 | 13 | 64 | 18.5 | 5.5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 | 13 | 59 | 28.5 | 11.0 | 0 | 4 |
| Total | 52 | 179 | 66 | 29.5 | 0 | 6 |
College Awards
- Lombardi Award
- Bronko Nagurski Trophy
- Chuck Bednarik Award
- Outland Trophy
Professional NFL Career
NFL Draft and Rookie Year (2014)
Before the 2014 NFL draft, Aaron Donald showed off his amazing speed. He set a record for defensive tackles by running the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds. This speed impressed many teams.
The St. Louis Rams chose Donald as the 13th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract. In his first game, he had four tackles. The next week, he got his first NFL sack. Donald had a fantastic rookie season, with 47 tackles and nine sacks. He was chosen for the 2015 Pro Bowl and won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Dominant Seasons (2015-2017)
In 2015, Donald continued to be a star. In the first game, he had nine tackles and two sacks, helping the Rams win. He finished the season with 69 tackles and 11 sacks. He was named First-team All-Pro for the first time and made his second straight Pro Bowl.
In 2016, the Rams moved to Los Angeles. Donald continued his strong play, earning his third straight Pro Bowl selection and second First-team All-Pro honor. He was fined for some actions during games but remained a top player.
Before the 2017 season, Donald held out from training camp due to a contract dispute. He eventually returned and made his season debut. He had an incredible year, finishing with 41 tackles and 11 sacks. He was named to his fourth straight Pro Bowl and earned his third first-team All-Pro selection. For his amazing performance, Donald won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award for the first time.
Back-to-Back Defensive Player of the Year (2018)
In 2018, Donald signed a huge contract, making him one of the highest-paid defensive players in NFL history. He had an outstanding season, setting a record for most sacks by a defensive tackle with 20.5 sacks. He earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors multiple times.
Donald was the only player chosen unanimously for the AP All-Pro First-team. He won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award for the second year in a row. This made him one of only three players to win the award in consecutive seasons. Donald helped the Rams reach Super Bowl LIII, where they played against the New England Patriots. Even though Donald played well, the Rams lost the game. He was ranked as the best player in the NFL by his fellow players that year.
Continued Excellence (2019-2020)
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In 2019, Donald continued to be a force on the field. He recorded 12.5 sacks and earned First Team All-Pro honors. He was also selected for the 2020 Pro Bowl.
The 2020 season saw Donald win his third NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. He had 13.5 sacks and was again selected for the 2021 Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro. He helped the Rams reach the playoffs, where they won their Wild Card game.
Super Bowl Champion (2021)
The 2021 season was a memorable one for Aaron Donald and the Rams. He continued to dominate, earning another Pro Bowl nomination and First Team All-Pro honors.
In the playoffs, Donald was a key player. His pressure on the quarterback helped the Rams win the NFC Championship game. In Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals, Donald had two sacks. He made a crucial play at the end of the game, pressuring the Bengals' quarterback, which led to an incomplete pass and sealed the 23–20 victory for the Rams. This win made Aaron Donald a Super Bowl champion.
Later Career and Retirement (2022-2024)
In 2022, Donald signed a new contract that made him the first non-quarterback to earn over $30 million per season. He earned Pro Bowl honors for the ninth time, even though his season was shortened by an ankle injury. He finished the year with 49 tackles and five sacks.
In 2023, Donald continued to play at a high level. He recorded eight sacks and 53 tackles, helping the Rams return to the playoffs. He earned his tenth Pro Bowl selection and eighth first-team All-Pro honor.
On March 15, 2024, Aaron Donald announced his retirement from professional football. He stated that he felt he had achieved everything he wanted in the sport and no longer had the same desire for the intense training required.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| NFL Defensive Player of the Year | |
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games Played | Games Started | Combined | Solo | Assisted | Sacks | Tackles for Loss | Passes Defended | Interceptions | Yards | Average | Long | Touchdowns | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries | Yards Recovered | Touchdowns | ||
| 2014 | STL | 16 | 12 | 48 | 38 | 10 | 9.0 | 18 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | STL | 16 | 16 | 69 | 44 | 25 | 11.0 | 22 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 40 | 0 |
| 2016 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 47 | 36 | 11 | 8.0 | 17 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | LAR | 14 | 14 | 41 | 32 | 9 | 11.0 | 15 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 59 | 41 | 18 | 20.5 | 25 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 48 | 29 | 19 | 12.5 | 20 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 45 | 27 | 18 | 13.5 | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | LAR | 17 | 17 | 84 | 38 | 46 | 12.5 | 19 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | LAR | 11 | 11 | 49 | 27 | 22 | 5.0 | 10 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 53 | 28 | 25 | 8.0 | 16 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 154 | 150 | 543 | 340 | 203 | 111.0 | 176 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 7 | 40 | 0 | |
Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games Played | Games Started | Combined | Solo | Assisted | Sacks | Tackles for Loss | Passes Defended | Interceptions | Yards | Average | Long | Touchdowns | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries | Yards Recovered | Touchdowns | ||
| 2017 | LAR | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | LAR | 3 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | LAR | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | LAR | 4 | 4 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 3.5 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | LAR | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Career | 11 | 11 | 34 | 19 | 15 | 6.0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Awards and Highlights
NFL Achievements
- Super Bowl champion (LVI)
- 3× NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2017, 2018, 2020)
- NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2014)
- 8× First-team All-Pro selection (2015–2021, 2023)
- 10× Pro Bowl selection (2014–2023)
- Deacon Jones Award (2018)
- NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
- Ranked No. 1 in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019
- 3× NFC Defensive Player of the Month
- 8× NFC Defensive Player of the Week
College Achievements
- ACC Defensive Player of the Year (2013)
- Bronko Nagurski Trophy (2013)
- Chuck Bednarik Award (2013)
- Lombardi Award (2013)
- Outland Trophy (2013)
- Unanimous All-American (2013)
Personal Life
Aaron Donald has an older brother, Archie Jr., who also played football. The brothers often dreamed of helping their parents retire, which motivated Aaron in his career. In 2020, Donald earned a degree in communications from the University of Pittsburgh.
Aaron Donald is married and has three children: a daughter and two sons.
See also
In Spanish: Aaron Donald para niños
