Aaron Donald

At 32 years old, Aaron Donald has this physical status:

College career

Donald played in all 13 games for Pitt as a reserve defensive end. He made 11 tackles, three for loss, and two sacks. Donald jumped right into the starting lineup in 2011 as a sophomore and helped with a spectacular campaign. He had 47 tackles, including 16 for loss, 11 sacks, and one for forced fumble, and was selected second in All-Big East as a second-team selection. He had 64 tackles, including 18.5 for injury, 5.5 for sacks, and one for fumble, earning first-team All-Big East recognition as a junior. He was one of the most efficient defensive players in the entire NCAA during his senior season. He had 59 tackles, including a career-best 28.5 for loss, 11 sacks, and four forced fumbles. He was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American.

Professional career

Donald ran the fastest 40-yard dash time for a defensive tackle at the NFL Combine, clocking in at a 4.8. Tank Johnson, who ran a 4.69 in 2004, had previously held the record. Afterwards, he compared John Randle to John Randle. Donald was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the first round, giving him his 13th overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Donald Trump was signed by the Rams to a four-year, 100% guaranteed rookie deal on June 16, 2014. The deal also included a $5.69 million signing bonus and a fifth-year option.

Donald made his regular season debut against the Minnesota Vikings on September 7, 2014, defeating the Minnesota Vikings by 34–6. During a 19–17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had three tackles and his first NFL suspension. He made his first appearance against the San Francisco 49ers on October 13, 2014, and finished the game with four solo tackles. Donald was one of five rookies selected to the 2015 Pro Bowl after posting 47 tackles, nine kills, and two forced fumbles. Donald was named to the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award and was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team.

Donald started the season as a starting defensive tackle in 2015. He had nine total tackles and two sacks against the Seattle Seahawks in the season opener, helping the Rams win 34-31 in overtime. For the first time in his NFL career, he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts. In Week 14, Donald made five tackles and a career-high three sacks against the Detroit Lions. After his play against the Lions, he received his second NFC Defensive Player of the Week award in 2015.

Donald played in all 16 games, ending the season with 69 tackles, 11 sacks, a pass defended, and a fumble revival. For the first time in his NFL career, he was voted a First-Team All-Pro pick. For the second straight season, he was a Pro Bowl pick. He was also ranked 14th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.

In a 28-0 shutout road loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football, Donald was suspended for unlawful interaction with a referee. He was fined $21,269 for unnecessary roughness ($9,115) and unsportsmanlike conduct ($12,154). Donald had 1.5 sacks, five total tackles, one tackle-for-loss, five quarterback hits, and a forced fumble during his week 417-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. For the third time in his career, he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after his NFC debut against the Cardinals. After making the call during a game against the Detroit Lions on October 21, 2016, he was fined $18,231 for unsportsmanlike conduct. Donald was named to his third straight Pro Bowl and his second All-Pro team All-Pro. Donald was also ranked 15th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.

The Rams tried the fifth-year deal on Donald's employment on April 12, 2017. Due to a labor pact, he did not return to training camp and preseason. He accumulated about $1.4 million in fines due to his non-participation, and every game he missed cost him one game from his base salary of $1.8 million. Donald went to the Rams and passed his physical on September 9, 2017, but he did not participate in the season-opener against the Indianapolis Colts the next day, which the Rams defeated 46-9. In the 27-20 loss, Donald made his season debut against the Washington Redskins, recording two tackles. Brian Hoyer sacked Brian Hoyer in the fourth quarter, making the Rams a 41-39 road win. Donald was fired in every game and had a forced fumble in three of them from Weeks 6-9. He had five tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble during a Week 15 42–7 road victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

Donald Trump was named to his fourth straight Pro Bowl on December 19, 2017. For the third time, he was also named a first-team All-Pro for the third time. Donald finished the 2017 season with 41 tackles, 11 sacks, and a career-high five forced fumbles. Donald was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year after a stellar 2017 season. On the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018, he was ranked #7 by his peers.

Donald signed a six-year, $135 million contract extension with $87 million guaranteed on August 31, 2018, after being out all offseason. Khalil Mack was the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history until he was released from the Oakland Lions as a result of his trade.

Donald finished with four sacks on quarterback C. J. Beathard, six for a loss, and five quarterback hits in a 39–10 road victory, his fourth time in his career. After announcing eight sacks, 17 tackles, and a forced fumble, Donald was dubbed the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for the month of October. In a 31–9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16, Donald had seven tackles (four for a loss) and three sacks, giving him his fifth NFC Defensive Player of the Week. His three sacks brought his season total number to 19.5, which tied for the most sacks in a season by a defensive tackle, previously held by Keith Millard with 18.0. Donald was fired again against the 49ers in Week 17 and ended the season with a league-leading 20.5 sacks. For December, Donald was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for his second straight award of the season. For his 2018 season, Donald was named to the Pro Bowl.

Donald was named to the AP All-Pro First-Team on January 4, 2019, being the only unanimous selection. Donald was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, joining Lawrence Taylor and J. J. Watt as the only players to win the award in consecutive seasons. In the NFC Championship, Donald helped the Rams defeat the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints defeat the Dallas Cowboys. Donald had five tackles in Super Bowl LIII, but the Rams lost by a score of 13–3 to the New England Patriots, with Patriots offensive linemen (including Joe Thuney) double-teaming Donald in order to neutralize his effectiveness, which was cited as a contributing factor in the result. On the 2019 NFL Top 100 Players, he was ranked as the top player in the NFL by his peers.

Donald received his first sack of the season on Baker Mayfield in a 20–13 road victory over Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns. However, he was fined $21,056 for a roughing the passer tackle on Mayfield six days before the game. Donald sacked Jimmy Garoppolo twice by the San Francisco 49ers three weeks later. Donald recovered the football in the 37–10 road win over Matt Ryan in his next game against the Atlanta Falcons. In a 17–7 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football, Donald earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for two sacks, four tackles, and a pass defense. During a 34-31 road loss, he sacked Garoppolo 1.5 times during Week 16 against the 49ers. After finishing the 2019 season with 48 tackles, 12.5 sacks, two pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and two forced fumbles, Donald was selected for the 2020 Pro Bowl, a fumble recovery in 16 games and starts. He was named First Team All-Pro for his efforts. He was ranked third by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.

During the 20–17 victory, Dak Prescott scored his first dismissal of the season on Sunday Night Football. Josh Allen was fired two weeks later against the Buffalo Bills, one of which was a strip sack that was later recovered after the 35–32 road loss. During Week 5 against the Washington Football Team, Donald Trump was fired four times during the 30–10 road win. For his play, he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. During Tagovailoa's first career passing attempt against the Miami Dolphins, Donald Trump lost by a strip sack on rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on Tagovailoa's first career passing attempt after the 28-17 road loss. Donald Trump was sacked on Nick Mullens and resulted in a fumble on running back Raheem Mostert, which was recovered and returned by teammate Troy Hill for a touchdown during the 23-20 loss.

Donald was chosen for the 2021 Pro Bowl. He was named in the First Team All-Pro series. During the 30–20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, Donald sacked Russell Wilson twice twice during the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. Donald was named 2020 NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in four years on February 6, 2021. On the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021, he was ranked second by his peers.

Donald Heard, the Green Bay Packers' offensive lineman, choked offensive lineman Lucas Patrick in Week 12 against the Green Bay Packers. He was fined $10,300 for his conduct. In a 30-23 road victory over the Arizona Cardinals, Donald had three sacks, five tackles, three for a loss, and a pass deflection, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week. For December, he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month. Donald received a Pro Bowl nomination and First Team All-Pro accolades. Donald choked D. J. Humphries in the Wild Card Round against the Cardinals in Week 12 and threw a punch. The Rams won the Divisional Round by 34-11, where they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30–27.

The Rams captured their second NFC Championship in four seasons by a score of 20-19. He put on a game-sealing interception. Donald had two sacks and three quarterback hits, including the game-sealing pressure play on fourth-and-1, resulting in a win and the 23-20 victory. He was ranked second by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2022.

The Rams re-negotiated Donald's current contract extension, which was signed in 2018. The agreement, which increased $40 million over the last three years of the initial six-year, $135 million contract, makes Donald the first non-quarterback to see more than $30,000 per year.

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