Mike Tomlin never had the chance to coach Aaron Donald, but throughout their interactions over the years, he developed a very healthy respect for the future Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Donald, who was a high schooler at Penn Hills when Tomlin was hired as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007, eventually found himself sharing a facility with Tomlin during his time as a Pitt Panther. And that’s where the respect was earned.
Tomlin, speaking at the NFL Owners’ Meetings in Orlando, Fla. reflected upon Donald’s career in the NFL.
“I think my memories about him are probably more personal than impact on the game,” Tomlin said Monday. “I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him since he was about 18 years old, and I just have witnessed his relationship that he has had with the game. I’ve seen him getting out of his car when it’s still very dark in the morning and working solo over the course of a 12 month calendar.
“I remember when the Rams won the Super Bowl, it was probably a week later, I saw him, getting out of his car in Pittsburgh, PA with his sweats on and his bag and going to work, and I think that’s just indicative of who he is as a football man. And why he’s had the type of career that he’s had and why he’s had the impact on the game he’s had. The secret is there’s no secret, man, this guy has built that thing brick by brick and I’m just so respectful of what he’s done and how he’s gone about it.”
Donald officially announced his retirement on March 15, and it was the conclusion of one of the greatest careers in NFL history — a first-ballot Hall of Fame legacy and a legitimate claim as the defensive football player of all time.
Donald was a first round selection out of Pitt in 2014, following an All-American four-year career in Pittsburgh. He racked up 181 tackles (115 solo), 66 tackles for loss, 29.5 sacks, forced six fumbles and defended 10 passes during his career.
Donald’s senior campaign of 59 tackles (43 solo), 28.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, four forced fumbles and three passes defended rounded out one of the best defensive efforts in Pitt history — and college football history.
In 10 seasons in the NFL, he racked up 543 tackles (340 solo), 176 tackles for loss, 111 sacks, 24 forced fumbles and seven recoveries and 21 pass breakups — cementing himself as one of the greats in just 10 seasons.
Donald made the Pro Bowl every season of his career, and after his latest All-Pro nod, he was honored as the best at his position all but twice in his career — his rookie season (in which he won Defensive Rookie of the Year) and his second to last season (missed six games).
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