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Lindsey ThiryESPN
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was in the midst of postgame interview after a nationally televised victory over the New England Patriots when an unexpected visitor made a cameo.
“Hey, defensive player of the year!” cornerback Jalen Ramsey yelled as he joined Donald on camera. “Stop playing with him!”
A shy grin swept across Donald’s face as he looked down and chuckled.
“It’s all love,” Donald said about the moment a few days later. “You appreciate that from your guys.”
Donald is hardly shy on the field, where he greets quarterbacks at alarming rate and often engulfs giant humans attempting to block him. But he’s not so outgoing when it comes to discussing personal accomplishments or campaigning for awards.
The two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year typically deflects when asked about the opportunity to earn the award a third time, which would put him in a small circle of three-time award winners that includes Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt.
“My main focus is trying to just win,” Donald says. “The only thing I didn’t accomplish I felt like is a Super Bowl, so that’s my only thing, is trying to do everything I can to help this team to win and get back to the Super Bowl and this time win it.”
The Rams (9-5) are on the verge of earning a playoff berth and can clinch Sunday with a win over the Seattle Seahawks (10-4) at Lumen Field (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox).
In his seventh NFL season, Donald anchors a defense that ranks second in the NFL in efficiency and is once again considered among the best in the league.
“When you look at the way that that affects and influences the game, I mean, he’s the biggest freak that he still shows up on the stat sheet,” Rams coach Sean McVay said.
Donald has 12.5 sacks, which is tied for second in the NFL behind Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt, who has 13. And he has created the first pressure on 86 plays, which ranks second behind Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (89).
“He’s close to perfect,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said about Donald, who has recorded 12 of his 84.5 career sacks against Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. “He’s got everything you’re looking for.”
Aaron Donald, whewwwwwww.
I’m not gonna go through and label all these guys right now but this is double team rate as a defensive tackle (x) by pass rush win rate as a defensive tackle (y) this season through today’s 4 p.m. games.
(ESPN/Next Gen Stats) pic.twitter.com/9VAwWpCsIk
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) December 21, 2020
“He’s nonstop,” said Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians, who watched a Donald-led defense hold off the Bucs 27-24 in Week 11. “Great get off, he’s got a tool box of moves that’s second to none, just a hell of a football player.”
When lined up as an interior lineman, Donald has the highest pass rush win rate in the NFL, beating his blocks within 2.5 seconds 25% of the time, and he has accomplished that while being double teamed on 70% of his pass rushes, the most of any interior lineman in the NFL.
And get this: Donald has faced 20 triple teams this season. Only Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (24) and Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed (23) have seen three blockers in more instances, though it’s debatable in all triple-team occurrences whether an offense planned a three-person block or if it happened by chance or mistake.
As Donald’s numbers continue to pile up, some of his most impressive plays aren’t hinted at on the stat sheet.
In the 24-3, Week 14 rout of the Patriots, Donald disrupted the route of Patriots running back Damien Harris as quarterback Cam Newton attempted a pass on a screen play. Linebacker Kenny Young intercepted the throw and returned it 79 yards — with Donald and Ramsey as his lead blockers — for a touchdown.
“Cam threw a good pass, it’s just the back got off track because of Aaron,” Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said. “It’s just one of those plays that players like him make and it’s not because of anything other than they’re studying the game … and then they’ve got these real instincts that take over when they’re in that moment.”
T.J. Watt and Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard also are contenders for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Watt has 13 sacks, the most in the NFL, and an interception for the top-ranked Steelers defense. He’s also on Donald’s heels in creating the first pressure, doing so on 84 plays.
Howard leads the NFL with nine interceptions, but faces an uphill battle to buck a historic trend to be recognized as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Over the past 25 years, only two cornerbacks — Charles Woodson in 2009 and Stephon Gilmore last season — have won the award.
The race this season could come down to the final two games.
On Sunday, Donald will again face Wilson, whom he has sacked more than any other quarterback in his career. He’ll likely be seeking vindication for a Week 10 performance against the division rival when he was held without a sack — or a stat — in a 23-16 Rams win.
Whether a potentially big game could help him earn an individual award, Donald doesn’t seem to be paying too close attention.
“My main focus is trying to do everything I can to help this team to win games and get to that last dance,” he said. “Whatever happens from there happens. So as far as stats and all that or what I hope that people would see, I don’t really care. I just play my game.”
