The photos and videos have been repeated in recent years and are impressive: Aaron Donald, the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive star, facing up to three players at the line of scrimmage of the rival team.
For many fans, these images are like those of cartoons or comics where the super hero has to face multiple monsters or villains to save the planet once again.
But now that it is only a matter of hours before the start of Super Bowl LVI, the image of Aaron Donald that is repeated the most is one in which the defensive lineman celebrates the decisive play in the NFC Championship Game against the 40ers, pointing to his left hand…pointing to the ring finger.
Winning an NFL championship ring is really the only thing missing for Aaron Donald to round out his impressive career full of achievements and awards: 05 trophies, seven selections as the best player at his position (All Pro) and three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. All that and much more in eight seasons.
The Rams will face this Sunday (3: 30 pm/NBC, Telemundo) at SoFi Stadium to the amazing Cincinnati Bengals for the Trophy Vince Lombardi, and among all the great stories that could be written at the end of the game, perhaps none is more significant than that of Aaron Donald reaching that coveted championship ring. Nobody deserves it more than him.
“The best way I can explain it is that all the good things I could say about him would not do him justice for what he means to me and to the organization“Head coach Sean McVay said about his great defensive leader.
“He is unique, he is very special. He had already established himself as one of the best players in this league before I came here five years ago. All he’s done since then is get better,” added McVay.
This season, Donald recorded 12.5 quarterback sacks, 19 tackles behind the line and 84 tackles. Those are pretty good numbers even though there isn’t a defensive player who has to face more double-blocks in the league, and often triple-blocks, which is a bit ridiculous and at the same time a tribute to his greatness.
Although he is not a particularly great athlete as an interior lineman (6 -1 feet, 100 pounds) , Donald is a nightmare for offenses dominating men with apparent ease 30 or 40 heavier pounds.
The brute strength of the man born in Pittsburgh does 30 years is combined with an unprecedented speed for a player in his position and a superior technique that he maintains to the limit with tireless work sessions, including not always conventional methods such as when he practices hitting knives (non-cutting) with both arms.
Donald and the McVay Rams had their first chance to win the Super Bowl three years ago, but the Patriots dominated a defensive battle to g anar 02-3 in Atlanta.
He says that the learning gained from having already played in a Super Bowl is that now he knows that he should try to keep things as if it were a regular season game.
“Do not make it bigger than it is, be in the same regimen of things we do on the field, understanding that it is the Super Bowl, understanding that it’s the biggest game of my career, but at the end of the day it’s football, being ready like any other week,” Donald explained this week to reporters.
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Von Miller gave Aaron Donald golden advice
Last year, the Rams were eliminated in the conference semifinals by losing to Green Bay. Donald, playing that game with broken ribs, was unable to do important things to make a difference and when time ran out the TV cameras caught him on the sidelines crying while being held by one of his coaches .
That moment portrayed the great competitor who knew that the mission had failed. A year later, things have been different largely due to the arrival of reinforcements to the Los Angeles team.
One of them has had a special impact on Donald: linebacker Von Miller, acquired mid-season in a trade with the Denver Broncos, with whom he won the Super Bowl 50 in which he was awarded as the ‘MVP’.
Donald and Miller soon built a brotherhood that is based on mutual respect for each other’s greatness. From that special relationship emerged a new competitive seasoning.
Miller, veteran of 11 seasons, advised Donald to talk more with their peers, being a more vocal leader and not only leading by example, because the results are better.
And so it has been. When Los Angeles was down against San Francisco in the NFC Finals, Donald rallied his defense and made himself heard like never before. The result was that the 49ers did not score again or be dangerous in attack.
“You look at what Aaron Donald does and he’s the epitome of all the good things about the Rams,” coach McVay said. “But he’s also used his voice and he does it at the right times to really challenge his teammates to raise their level of play and that’s one of the reasons we’re here.”
Miller, explaining that interesting challenge for who was already the best defensive player in the NFL, made an interesting revelation: “Being selfish, I want to say that I was the guy who helped ‘AD’ win a Super Bowl… and being able to tell my son when he’s older that I played with ‘AD’ and helped him complete his entire to-do list”.
The presence of players veterans on the team like Miller, who as an outside linebacker has helped to prevent rivals from being able to focus excessively on Donald, is something that “AD” sees as an advantage over other seasons.
“Many players have been to the Super Bowl, from the time we played it. We have guys like Von (Miller), who have won the Super Bowl. There are people with experience, there are coaches with experience, so that definitely helps,” he said.
The great Donald and his Rams only need one win for him to have his ring and for Miller to fulfill his special goal. Everything will be defined this Sunday during three and a half hours of fighting against the talented, but young, Bengals. “AD” accepts that it is the perfect opportunity.
“Obviously we did what was necessary to get to this point and have the opportunity to be in another Super Bowl, but this time at home, in our own stadium, practice in our own facilities and be able to be in our own homes with our families. It definitely keeps the stress level down,” he said.
Two Sundays ago, a while after the Rams They signed their place in the Super Bowl thanks to an excellent defensive play in which Donald caused an intercepted pass, he took a shower and returned to the field with his partner and their three children. The five of them sat on the confetti covered court and Aaron began to hug each one of them living a moving moment. But he is still missing the most special of all.
“I’m ready,” Donald said. “Excited to go out on the court on Sunday and compete.”
Ricardo López Juárez is the official Spanish-language analyst for the Los Angeles Rams