Did you know there are only two players in NFL history who made the Pro Bowl in every single season they played in the league? One of them is arguably the greatest running back the sport has seen. And the other, per Jason Kelce, “is the most iconic defensive lineman since my time in the NFL.” Another thing Barry Sanders and Aaron Donald have in common? They both retired after 10 years in the NFL. And as Donald announced he’d be hanging up his cleats just days after Jason Kelce did the same, the Eagles legend had high praise for the defensive tackle.

Even though Aaron Donald spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Rams, he had admirers aplenty throughout the league. And one of the biggest ones is Jason Kelce. In fact, when Donald announced his retirement, players across the board lamented his decision. “Throughout my career, I have given my everything to football both mentally and physically,” Donald wrote. And it showed on the gridiron. Despite this, though, he was still subject to criticism, and Jason Kelce stood by the Rams legend.

In a heartfelt homage to a turf titan, Jason Kelce took a moment to appreciate Aaron Donald for all he gave to the sport of NFL on the New Heights podcast. Showing his love for Donald, Kelce couldn’t help but address a misguided notion. Kelce explained, “I got to set this record straight because I see a lot of people on social media, as they list all of Aaron’s sacks against quarterbacks, they’re like, ‘Never had a sack against the Eagles. Oh, the Eagles held  your number.’”

Having played five games against the Eagles, Donald recorded zero sacks against Philly. But how? Jason revealed, “We double-teamed him and triple-teamed him in every single game. He is the only defensive tackle we have ever gone up against where the entire gameplan is situated on not having him ruin the game. The only one.”

Aaron Donald was truly one of a kind. And the Eagles knew it. “I don’t care if it was a five-down front. I don’t care if there’s a blitz happening over there. We are double-teaming Aaron Donald. That’s the way we played him,” added Kelce. “There was not another player that was treated in that light. Not a defensive end. Not a defensive tackle. Nobody.” The defensive strategy of the Eagles was focused on stopping one man. Donald. They were bent on preventing him from sacking Jalen Hurts.

The former Eagles legend and his brother, Travis Kelce, discussed Donald’s field presence. Jason exclaimed, “This was a dude who was so much more explosive and powerful than everybody else.” And it became clear from his workouts at the Rams’ facility. In fact, per ESPN, the franchise’s director of strength and conditioning, Justin Lovett, kept an “AD body count” in his office – a list of all the players who tried and failed to keep up with Donald’s workouts. And just like that, as he walks on from his football career, he has a lot to be proud of.

Aaron Donald’s lasting legacy

When Aaron Donald was chosen as the 13th overall pick by the St. Louis Rams back in 2014, little did the world know they were witnessing the dawn of an era. Donald didn’t just join the Rams. He redefined them, etching his name into the annals of the franchise with a staggering 111 career sacks.

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Each year, without fail, he was hailed as a Pro Bowl legend, and eight glorious times, the title of first-team All-Pro was bestowed upon him. From the moment he clinched the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Donald was more than a player. Perhaps more telling of his greatness is that shared record with Barry Sanders. Even as the 2023 season added another Pro Bowl feather to his cap, Donald appears poised to embrace what lies beyond the gridiron. The chapters of his football saga may be drawing to a close, but the story of Aaron Donald is far from over.

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