Rams DT Aaron Donald Seeking Fresh Start: 'Remake My Name!'
Not a lot went right for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, and that extended to their star defensive lineman Aaron Donald.
A three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Donald posted career-lows with 10 tackles for loss and five sacks. Additionally, he missed six games due to injury after only missing two games in eight prior seasons. For Donald, the picture of consistency in the NFL, last season was a disappointment in every way.
This season, Donald is looking to put that disappointment behind him. The future Hall of Famer feels like he has something to prove, despite his impeccable resume.
“I feel like I’ve got to kind of remake my name all over again because I missed seven games last season with an injury,” Donald said in an interview with Haute Living. “I feel like I need to restart all over again, make a name for myself all over again, and that’s how I’m going about this year.”
When all is said and done, Donald could go down as the best defensive player in NFL history. He has nine Pro Bowl selections in as many seasons, seven All-Pro nods, over 100 career sacks and won a Super Bowl in 2021. Donald even said he considered walking away after winning the championship, which was all he had left to prove but decided to come back to chase that high again.
“Winning a Super Bowl was my goal, and obviously, I accomplished it," Donald said. "I had plans of being done after accomplishing it, too, but when you experience something like that, it’s hard to just walk away from it. Now, I’m trying to do everything I can to relive that, but I’m coming into the season with pretty much a whole new team.”
Donald knows getting back there will be a challenge. After the Rams lost several key pieces this offseason, Donald is now one of the few players on defense with quality starting experience. The star defender has always been a leader, but with so many young players around him, his responsibility to lead increases dramatically.
“I’m planning on leading by example,” Donald said. “Obviously, you need to be vocal at times, but I feel like the best way to lead is by showing the guys how I work — from what I do in the weight room to the football field. When you tend to do things the right way, at a high level, and guys know who you are, know what you’ve accomplished, they’re going to try to replicate what you’re doing."
The Rams have plenty of question marks heading into the new season, but Donald returning to peak form and leading the young defense would ease at least a few doubts.
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