PITTSBURGH—Extensively thought-about one among many greatest avid gamers of not solely his period nevertheless inside the historic previous of the Nationwide Soccer League, Pitt’s Aaron Donald has generally known as it a career.
The earlier Pitt star launched his retirement on Friday, concluding one of many very important embellished and dominant careers the game has ever witnessed.
Chosen by the Rams inside the first spherical of the 2014 NFL Draft (13th basic), Donald better than delivered on the lofty expectations positioned on a excessive draft different. Over 10 expert seasons, he grew to change into one among solely three avid gamers in league historic previous to earn three NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr awards. Donald was one among solely six unanimous picks for the NFL 2010s All-Decade Workforce.
No matter coping with an array of blocking schemes—some approved and some that employed good old skool holding—he compiled an astounding 111 sacks. He had not lower than eight sacks in 8 of his 10 NFL seasons.
Donald led the Rams to 2 Great Bowls and clinched his employees’s victory in Great Bowl LVI when he smothered Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, forcing the last word incompletion in a 23-20 Los Angeles victory.
Reflecting his lofty NFL standing, Donald carried out a memorable perform inside the league’s “The 100-Yr Recreation” enterprise.
A Western Pennsylvania native, Donald starred at Penn Hills Extreme College, twice incomes first employees All-State Class AAAA, sooner than matriculating to Pitt in 2010. He was a direct contributor for the Panthers and over the next 4 seasons compiled an unimaginable 66 tackles for loss, most likely probably the most by an FBS inside defensive lineman (and fourth regardless of place) since 2000 when the NCAA began monitoring that statistic.
As a senior in 2013, Donald was an unstoppable drive. He led the nation with 28.5 tackles for loss and added 11 sacks, 4 compelled fumbles and a blocked further stage. At season’s end, Donald was named a unanimous first employees All-American and the winner of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award, making him one of many very important embellished avid gamers in Pitt historic previous.
The underside floor of Pitt’s Duratz Athletic Superior observe facility was renamed the “Aaron Donald Soccer Effectivity Coronary heart” in 2019. The recognition bought right here after Donald made a seven-figure financial dedication to the Pitt Soccer Championship Fund, which serves this method in such key areas as facility enchancment, recruiting, experience and student-athlete enchancment. It marked an important donation ever by a Pitt soccer letterman to this method.
“It was a dream come true to play for the Faculty of Pittsburgh,” said Donald. “My experience as a Panther is one factor that influences my life day-to-day and I have to pay that forward.
“Pitt will on a regular basis be my college and I’m honored to have the flexibility to help the Blue and Gold.”
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