It was another eventful offseason for Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald between his rigorous workouts and philanthropic work.
The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year has always treated the offseason as the most crucial period to maintain his dominance. His approach has clearly paid some major dividends as he and the Rams look to add a Super Bowl LVI trophy to the resume in the 2021 NFL season.
Donald reached a different milestone off the field after turning 30 years old this offseason. It appears even he is not immune to the effects of Father Time.
For obvious reasons, Donald is regarded as one of the NFL’s premier physical specimens. However, he admits that he no longer recovers as quickly as he used to early on in his career, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk:
“I’m getting older,” the Rams defensive tackle told reporters on Wednesday. “I feel it. My aches and pains last a little longer, so I definitely feel it.”
Despite the newfound aches and pains, head coach Sean McVay has not noticed any difference in Donald’s game:
“No, I do not,” the Rams coach said when asked whether he sees a difference in Donald at 30. “He looks pretty damn good to me. He has got that same look in his eye. He looks good. He had a good first day. We know that he’s working hard. I think he’s going to pick up right where he left off and what he has done, since I’ve been fortunate enough to be around him, has been pretty spectacular. He is one-of-one.”
It is encouraging to see that Donald has not slipped up due to the lingering effects of his workouts. The fact that he still looks as dominant as ever is indicative of the dedication he has to his craft.
The seven-time Pro Bowler has played at an elite level ever since entering the league in 2014. Many speculated as to whether or not he would be able to sustain the type of production that now only a select few in NFL history have enjoyed.
While opponents may be patiently waiting for the day for Donald to start falling off, the six-time All-Pro has made concerted efforts to ensure that it is not coming any time soon. This has no doubt helped spurred the Rams into going all-in on their pursuit of a championship while he is still in his prime.
