Aaron Donald is squarely in the conversation as being the greatest defensive player of all time. That’s remarkable considering he was a defensive tackle, but it’s a testament to how impactful he was during his 10-year career in the NFL.
There isn’t much debate about whether he was the best defender of his era, but Donald himself can’t say he’s the greatest of all time – or the G.O.A.T.
That could just be his humble attitude talking, but in his first post-retirement interview, Donald wouldn’t say he’s the greatest ever because of how much the game has changed over the years.
“I think for my era, yes. But everybody was different,” Donald said. “You’ve got guys that were great that I looked up to like Ray Lewis that was the greatest of his time. Polamalu, Pittsburgh guy. Lawrence Taylor. There’s different eras that it’s hard to say because the game changed so much. In the time I played, I think I held my own and did what I did to help change the game.”
Donald retired from football with three Defensive Player of the Year awards, tied with J.J. Watt and Lawrence Taylor for the most ever. He also made the Pro Bowl 10 times, making him only the second player to play at least 10 seasons and make the Pro Bowl each year; Barry Sanders is the other.
His list of accolades is as impressive as any player’s in league history, which is why many consider him the best ever. But he won’t go as far as saying that, only saying publicly that he’s the best of his era – something almost no one will argue.