Aaron Donald declaration about having "a lot to prove" sums up NFL superstar
Aaron Donald may be a first-ballot Hall of Famer but the Los Angeles Rams superstar has proven that elite athletes never quite rest on their laurels.
The defensive lineman has probably been one of the most double-teamed men in the NFL across his career, but it was curtailed by injury after 11 games due to an ankle injury in the 2022 season. It is fair to say that the 32-year-old's presence on the defensive line strikes fear into offensive players and his return to health is a major boost for the Rams.
The team struggled in his absence last season but the record three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year holder could only sit and watch from the sidelines as they regressed from their Super Bowl LVI win. He had been a major component in that success, playing 21 games en route to their historic triumph.
Donald appears to be gearing up to put his injury woes behind him during the coming season, however. He has returned to the Rams' training camp this summer in the best shape of his career. Now entering his tenth season, it is clear the Pennsylvania-born star remains focused on the job ahead.
Despite his success, the experienced star still remains convinced that he has a lot to show after his lengthy layoff, saying: “I’ve got a lot to prove, I didn’t have the season I wanted, obviously coming off of an injury and things like that.
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"I feel like to get to where you need to be, it’s like starting over from scratch again. It’s a brand new year. Last year was last year, but there’s a little fire lit into me.
"I got a little motivation towards that to push me to feel like I’m back on ground one. So I’m trying to get back to where I want to be as a player, as a teammate, as a team overall, and that’s been kind of pushing me a little bit.”
Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams remains in humble mood as he returns to action following his injury layoff last season (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) (Michael Owens/Getty Images)Given the Rams' struggles in his absence last season, some observers have overlooked their chances of repeating their heroics of a couple of years ago. However, Donald insisted that train of thought is serving as direct motivation for him and his teammates.
"Right now we are just trying to get back on top," he said. "Obviously, we didn’t have a season we wanted as a team last year. Now you’re kind of looked over as a team, so I feel like we have got something to prove. So that’s the motivation right there.
“We all need some type of fire, something to push you, something to get you going and that’s something that I’m hanging on to right now. And I feel like we’ve got something to prove as a team. I think I got something to prove as a player and that’s how we’re going to take it.”
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