Los Angeles Rams DT Aaron Donald has come under fire after a helmet-swinging incident during a joint practice on Thursday with the Cincinnati Bengals.
While some have poked fun at the event, others like free agent linebacker Will Compton are taking it more seriously.
This mfer Aaron Donald is gonna kill somebody wtf
— Willaerys III Compton (@_willcompton) August 26, 2022
We’re just gonna still through this video and say “haha Aaron Donald is wild” knowing he should probably be charged with assault pic.twitter.com/PhcJEjzNTN
Donald is no stranger to dust-ups on the field, which would factor in any discipline coming his way from the league. However, the NFL reportedly has no jurisdiction to police player conduct during practices or joint sessions.
With things now left to the Rams, it's unlikely Donald's punishment will bare any resemblance to what he'd receive from the NFL if the incident occurred during an actual game.
Many have pointed out the six-game suspension Cleveland Browns' Myles Garrett received after a similar incident, calling for the same punishment for Donald.
Myles Garrett missed the final 6 games of the 2019 season as part of an indefinite suspension for swinging a helmet during a game. The NFL has not been in the business of policing joint practices the way they do games, but that's the only difference from Aaron Donald today.
— Judy Battista (@judybattista) August 25, 2022
Myles Garrett got 6 games for ripping a helmet off and swinging 1 time and hitting a player without a helmet on. I see 3 swings here by Aaron Donald where one ABSOLUTLEY connected. (You can hear the helmet crack on another) 6-8 game suspension incoming? https://t.co/1Z0sFiyYON
— Steven Albritton (@StevenAlbritton) August 25, 2022
The 31-year-old helped lead the Rams to a 23-20 victory in Super Bowl LVI. Donald was named an All-Pro and Pro-Bowler for the seventh straight season in 2021, posting 84 tackles and 12.5 sacks in 17 regular-season games. The nine-year pro hinted at a possible retirement during the offseason before agreeing to a reworked contract.
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