The football world is bidding farewell to an all-time great as Aaron Donald, a former University of Pittsburgh standout, has officially announced his retirement from the NFL on his X account. After a decade of dominance, the defensive tackle is hanging up his cleats, leaving behind a legacy that cements his place among the sport’s elite.
Drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 2014, Donald quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with on the gridiron. His remarkable career saw him etch his name in the record books as one of only three players to capture three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. Such accolades, coupled with his unanimous selection to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, shows his immense impact on the game.
Despite facing constant double-teams and occasional underhanded tactics from opposing offensive lines, Donald’s relentless pursuit of the quarterback yielded an astonishing 111 sacks over his 10 professional seasons. His consistent dominance was highlighted by eight campaigns with at least eight sacks each.
The pinnacle of Aaron Donald’s career came in Super Bowl LVI, where he delivered the championship-clinching play for the Rams, smothering Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow on the final incompletion to secure a 23-20 victory. This defining moment etched his name in Super Bowl lore and served as a fitting capstone to his illustrious journey.
Before his NFL exploits, Donald was a hometown hero in Western Pennsylvania, earning All-State honors twice at Penn Hills High School. He then took his talents to the University of Pittsburgh, where he quickly became a force on the defensive line, racking up an incredible 66 tackles for loss – the most by an interior defensive lineman in the FBS since 2000.
In his senior year in 2013, he reached new heights, leading the nation with 28.5 tackles for loss while adding 11 sacks, four forced fumbles, and a blocked extra point. This historic season saw him sweep the major defensive awards, including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy, and Rotary Lombardi Award, cementing his status as one of Pitt’s most decorated players ever.
In recognition of his immense contributions to the program, both on and off the field, the University renamed the ground floor of the Duratz Athletic Complex the “Aaron Donald Football Performance Center” in 2019. This honor came after Donald’s seven-figure donation to the Pitt Football Championship Fund, which supports facility improvements, recruiting, technology, and student-athlete development – the largest ever by a Pitt football alumnus.
As he bids farewell to the gridiron, Aaron Donald leaves an indelible mark on the game of football, his impact reverberating from the hallowed halls of the University of Pittsburgh to the grandest stages of the NFL.
