For a decade, Aaron Donald inspired fear in his opponents, but stepping in front of an NBC camera brought back a feeling he rarely showed on the field. Making his debut during NBC’s Super Bowl LX pregame show, the Los Angeles Rams legend admitted the new role came with some serious jitters, revealing what exactly he did before the show.

“You have butterflies just like game day, but it was good. I was prepared,” he said on The Inner Circle Podcast. “…Obviously I did my homework to just prepare myself, but Saturday, I call it the walkthrough before the game day, right? You go to the venue, get a run of show, get a feel for what we gonna be at, what we gonna be talking about…”

“Now, fast forward to Sunday, it was just game day. I walked on the boat, I was like, dang, y’all a little tight a– right now. You can tell it’s game day. It’s a lot different experience. The first day, Saturday, everybody laughing and smiling. Everybody locked in on Sunday, but I enjoyed it, man.” 

On February 8, Aaron Donald joined the broadcasting booth for the biggest night of the season. And it was a full-circle moment because the last time NBC Sports aired the Super Bowl in 2022, he was on the field. The player helped the Rams seal a 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals by pressuring QB Joe Burrow on fourth down. This time, he arrived right before the kickoff for analysis.

Other members of his pregame crew included the 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, Fred Warner, and Cam Heyward. Maria Taylor led the coverage alongside Jac Collinsworth and Noah Eagle. Other analysts who were part of the broadcast were Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, Devin McCourty, Jason Garrett, and Chris Simms. While Donald’s familiarity with Simms and Heyward helped him feel at ease, one adjustment made him struggle a bit.

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Donald initially thought he would speak freely during segments. But he soon realized that each speaker gets a small window to make their points before producers move on. During the rehearsal, the 34-year-old got carried away and had to learn to be more concise in his opinions. With a little practice, he learned the art by Sunday and ended up enjoying the entire process.

Meanwhile, this gig adds to a long list of Donald’s ventures he’s been actively pursuing after his retirement in March 2024. He has a major shareholding in Ready Nutrition, a sports nutrition company. The former NFL player also partnered ‌with basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo for a joint sports drink venture. In 2019, he founded the AD99 Foundation to provide underprivileged youth in Pittsburgh access to education, nutrition, and community involvement.

But since he never imagined enjoying television work, this one seems a bit more special. Meanwhile, Aaron Donald’s remarks come just weeks after he showcased why he was one of the league’s most lethal defenders.

Aaron Donald flexes his fitness, looks game-ready

The Rams legend shared videos from his intense workout last month. Though he hasn’t played professional football since the 2023 NFL season, his fitness shows that he hasn’t slowed down. In the clip posted on TikTok, the 34-year-old was lifting massive 160-pound dumbbells like it’s no big deal.

Lying on his back, he did back-to-back chest presses. Donald managed at least nine clean reps before the video ended. What made his training session even more impressive was that he mentioned the lift came at the very end of his workout. 

“Been doing a lot s–t already,” he said before picking up the weight.

So despite the early heavy routine, he kept going with ease. While this may seem surprising to many, his ardent followers already know the drill. Donald has a reputation for putting his body through intense workouts. He hasn’t changed his way of living even after retirement.

Rams linebacker Jared Verse once shared an incident that really proved that Donald is built differently. Back in July, Donald pushed Verse so hard during a workout that he jokingly asked the former’s wife to take action.

“I’m dead serious,” Verse said. “I’m not even joking. I told her to call the police. She [Donald’s wife] wouldn’t do it.”

Donald spent his entire NFL career with the Rams from 2014 to 2023. During the stretch, he earned ten Pro Bowl selections, eight All-Pro honors, and a Super Bowl title. Watching him lift that kind of weight now isn’t unimaginable to those who are aware of his fitness game.