While Aaron Donald’s return to the NFL remains undecided after calling time on his career in 2023, a first-round defensive tackle could be the next Donald. According to former Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu, Peter Woods has earned this distinguished praise after recalling his experience playing against Donald.

“Some f****** Aaron Donald in him bro,” Mathieu revealed on August 13 in an X clip from his podcast. “I’m talking about short, stocky, quick, strong like powerful….That’s a box you gotta check off.”

Woods was the second-first-round pick to join the Kansas City Chiefs in this year’s draft. After cornerback Mansoor Delane was brought in at pick no. 6, Woods joined at overall No. 29.

In fact, before Mathieu’s comments on The Bayou With Tyrann Mathieu podcast, team general manager Brett Veach had also compared him to Aaron Donald.

“Yeah, two different-sized guys, but both good athletes,” Veach said on April 23. “So I think that’s what he gives you, that quickness. You can say Aaron Donald-y type quick.”

Mathieu wasn’t making the Donald comparison without firsthand experience. The two first met in November 2014, when Mathieu’s Cardinals faced Donald’s Rams.

As NFC West rivals, they went head-to-head twice every season from 2014 through 2017, with more matchups later in their careers. That gave Mathieu plenty of firsthand knowledge of just how dominant Donald could be.

Aaron Donald never fit the usual mold for an interior defensive lineman. At just under 6-foot-1 and 285 pounds, he was considered undersized, but his compact frame gave him rare leverage, burst and lateral quickness.

Then came the 2014 NFL Combine. Donald ran a stunning 4.68-second 40-yard dash, setting the fastest time ever recorded by a defensive tackle at the event at the time.

Similarly, Woods showed he can bring more than size to the interior. At the 2026 NFL Combine, the Clemson DT measured 6’2″, 298 pounds with 31.25-inch arms and 9.125-inch hands, earning a strong 6.36 athleticism grade from NFL Next Gen Stats.

That athletic profile drew plenty of attention, much like Aaron Donald did at the Combine years ago. Woods later met formally and informally with more than half the league, including the New York Giants, New York Jets, and the Kansas City Chiefs.

In fact, the Aaron Donald connection may even emerge from a personal inspiration standpoint for Peter Woods.

Woods admitted Donald is his favorite player ever and said it would be “crazy” to claim he doesn’t model his game after the legendary DT. But Woods also draws from Jeffery Simmons and Quinnen Williams, aiming to use twitch, speed, and power to create mismatches wherever he lines up.

While Donald has remained an idol, there is also a real chance that Woods may get to play against him one more time, as talk of a comeback has surfaced. However, one ESPN analyst believes that may not be realistic.

Aaron Donald’s return may not be in the cards after all

Ever since Donald had an official workout with his former team, the Los Angeles Rams, on August 5, fans have been speculating a comeback to be on.

Donald retired back in March 2024 after a decade of NFL performances with the Rams. Eventually, he stated that he felt “burnt out” and no longer wanted to push himself to play a full regular season.

Even in his final two years, he missed seven out of the 34 regular-season games. Now, remembering that, ESPN analyst Ben Solak has deemed his return unrealistic for the franchise.

“Sprinkle a little Donald on there, and we have what …? The best defense in football? The best defense of the past decade? Maybe but probably not!” Solak wrote.

Solak labeled a potential return to the Rams as the “most likely to break your heart,” warning that expecting a 35-year-old retired DT to handle a heavy 40-snap workload could be unrealistic.

The Rams already had the NFL’s No. 4 defense in DVOA last season, meaning even if Donald returns, the on-field upgrade may not live up to the blockbuster expectations surrounding his comeback.

Mathieu’s Donald comparison has turned Peter Woods into a name worth watching, while Woods’ own admiration only adds to the intrigue. Now, with Donald’s future uncertain, the Chiefs rookie has a chance to carve out his own disruptive legacy.