Los Angeles Rams' Aaron Donald Completes Another Franchise Milestone
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is all over the history books for exploiting double teams and being a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks on every snap.
While the interior defensive lineman may not collect as many tackles per game as a linebacker or defensive back might, he's gone above and beyond in that category.
Donald's four tackles against the Indianapolis Colts moved him up and over former linebacker Alec Ogletree as the Rams second all-time tackles leader with 506.
While this is a crowning achievement, he broke the franchise's career tackles for loss total a long time ago, as he's 76 ahead of second place (165). Quarterback hits (if they release the ball) don't count, but the 280-pounder has more than double second-place edge rusher Robert Quinn with 243.
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99)
Kiyoshi Mio, USA TODAY
The only former Rams player ahead of the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is middle linebacker James Laurinaitis with a staggering 853 tackles.
Donald, 32, has brought up the possibility of retirement multiple times since he hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after the Rams' 2021 Super Bowl run. It's all but certain that No. 2 will be No. 99's slot in the franchise tackles category until a younger player storms up the leaderboard.
Nevertheless, there are two candidates on the current Rams defense that have a shot at leaping over Donald and possibly Laurinaitis in a few years: 25-year-old safety Jordan Fuller (207 career tackles) and 23-year-old linebacker Ernest Jones (213).
While Jones and Fuller continue tackling their way to Donald and Laurinaitis, the safety is in the final year of his rookie contract and could become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, meaning he could be out of the race.
