Aaron Donald makes history with 'Madden 24' rating
Aaron Donald is a member of the 99 Club in the "Madden" video game franchise for a record seventh time, EA Sports announced on Tuesday.
That sets the record for the most perfect grades in Madden history, one more than Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning.
The rating confirms what we already know. Donald is a generational talent and one of the best defensive players in league history.
He made the defining play of Super Bowl LVI against the Bengals by forcing a Joe Burrow incompletion on fourth down, securing his first Super Bowl.
Los Angeles went 5-12 last season, the worst record for a defending Super Bowl champion. Donald was still excellent despite the team's struggles and missing the final six games due to a high ankle sprain.
Per data from Pro Football Focus, in 11 games, he still finished in the top 20 in the league in total pressures with 40. From 2016-21, PFF credited Donald with the most total pressures among players at his position each season. His 274 total pressures and 103 sacks since entering the league in 2014 are the most during that span.
Donald flirted with retirement the past two offseasons but with him still the best defender in football, he has no reason to call it quits.
That doesn't mean his career will end in Los Angeles. Sports Illustrated and ESPN floated the idea of the Rams trading Donald this season. Dan Graziano pondered, "What if the Rams have another lousy season and decide the best bet is to trade away more veterans and rebuild?"
Donald would fetch a handsome return. He's as elite as they come and has the Madden grade to prove it.
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