Getting comfortable with your position can be dangerous in the NFL. Competition changes and new talent challenges the old.
For Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, he understands this. Despite the awards and accolades he has accumulated in his five NFL seasons, he continues to train harder.
Donald has found himself challenged in new ways this offseason thanks to new defensive line coach, Eric Henderson, via Myles Simmons of TheRams.com:
“I’ve been loving coach ‘Henny,’ that’s one of the main parts why I want to be here — to work with the guys, and also work with him,” Donald said. “He’s working a lot of different drills that I feel like can help me get better, improve my game. He’s pushing me. Like I said, he broke down stuff on me, showed me things that I need to correct in my game.
“So having him here, having him coach me with the different drills we’re out there doing, things that I needed to work on, that I needed to improve — I’m just excited to keep working with him.”
Finding new ways to challenge the back-to-back NFL Defensive Player of the Year is no easy task, however, Donald’s natural drive to get better surely helps with that task. It was also reported that Donald has been pushing his line teammates to get in additional workouts.
If Donald can somehow find a way to improve the Rams will, of course, be better for it. Any improvement, big or small, can help the team take the next step. Making it back to the Super Bowl will be an accomplishment in itself, but winning the whole thing takes a special mix of players.
Henderson joined the Rams after spending two years across town with the Los Angeles Chargers. He previously played with the Cincinnati Bengals.
