Steelers Nearly Had Opportunity To Pursue Future Hall Of Famer Aaron Donald As His Rookie Contract Was Expiring

The Pittsburgh Steelers have the current greatest defensive player in the universe on their roster, TJ Watt. This isn't surprising, considering the Steelers have always prided themselves in having exceptional defenses and drafting and development Hall of Famers. These men have helped define how the game has been played and inspired future generations. We recently heard that a Pittsburgh native and likely first-ballot NFL Hall of Famer once dreamt of being in the black and gold.

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald is a true Pittsburgh native. This is in spite of the fact that he spent all 10 seasons of his career playing for the Rams franchise, first the St. Louis Rams who later moved, becoming the Los Angeles Rams. Before they drafted him with the 13th overall pick in 2014, Donald called the Steel City home. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, he attended Penn Hills High School and later was a standout at the University of Pittsburgh, forging a deep connection with the city and its football culture.   

Recently, Donald joined his former teammate Chris Long on his podcast, Green Light with Chris Long. Long mentioned that Donald always referred to himself as a "one-team guy" and took pride in saying it was always his goal to stay with the same team. But Long wondered if Donald had ever fantasized about returning home to play in Pittsburgh and running out of the tunnel at (what was then) Hines Field. 

"I would say before I got drafted, I would be like it'd be dope to play for my hometown because I grew up a Steelers fan. Maybe even like my third year in the league when we still wasn't a good team and then it was about time to start talking about contract stuff. I ain't really know if I was gonna stay with the Rams because I wanted to win. I wanted to be with a winning team so I flirted with that idea a little. Maybe I could go home and play for the Steelers, but that was it. Once you solidify yourself it's hard, you have a routine, you know where everything is, and the team builds relationships," Donald said.

The idea of having to move somewhere, even a city he knows so well, to start all over felt daunting. Donald said people had asked him if he didn't want at least one year in Pittsburgh. Now that he has announced his retirement, people hope he will return to play one last season with the Steelers. He said it doesn't matter to him that it's his hometown; he wouldn't want to go anywhere for just a year. 

The former defender's career is a testament to his exceptional talent and hard work. Donald played a pivotal role in the Rams' victory in Super Bowl LVI. He was not just the NFL Defensive Player of the Year once, but an astounding three times. He was also the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2014), an eight-time First-Team All-Pro, and a 10-time Pro Bowler, leaving a remarkable legacy.

Donald finished his 10-season career with amazing stats, on top of all the honors the NFL has bestowed upon him. He played in 154 games, starting 150, racking up 111 sacks, 542 total tackles, 176 for a loss, 260 quarterback hits, 24 forced fumbles and 21 passes defended.

Steelers TJ Watt Gets Support From The Competition 

Watt has been in the running for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year four times since he was drafted in 2017. Despite tremendous support from fans, some media, and teammates, he has only won it once, in 2021. 

Like Watt, Donald has made a strong case for himself nearly every year he has been in the NFL, so it is unsurprising that the two often find themselves in direct competition. What is more unique is how humble Donald is and how he can appreciate great play, even if someone outperforms him. 

In 2023, Donald was not a finalist, but Watt was. The committee once again overlooked Watt, and the award was given to Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. In another recent interview, Donald said that he felt Watt deserved it more than the one time he won. 

Donald said that when you see a player who is as consistent as Watt and puts up big stats like Watt does, how can you fail to acknowledge that? In 2023, Watt had 19 sacks, tied his career-high 68 tackles, an interception, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries, one of which netted a game-winning touchdown against Garrett's Browns.  When asked about Watt, Donald said he honestly believes he was snubbed a few times and should have won a few more. 

\Would you have wanted Pittsburgh to shell out the money and capital to get a player of Donald's caliber? Are you surprised he is retiring after 10 seasons? Click to