Aaron Donald
Aaron Donald is a Rams defensive lineman, Super Bowl champion and AD99 Foundation founder who shares football, training and youth sports work with fans.
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Latest
Aaron’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Overview
- Hometown
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- School
- Penn Hills High School; University of Pittsburgh
- Breakout
- 2013 unanimous All-American at Pitt; 13th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft
- Team
- St. Louis and Los Angeles Rams
- Beyond the field
- AD99 Foundation founder; Ready co-owner
Mini bio
How it started.
Aaron grew up in Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighborhood and attended Penn Hills High School. His training habits go back to childhood: he used his father’s basement gym, known as “the dungeon,” from age 12.
The Pitt years.
He stayed close to home to play at Pitt from 2010 to 2013. His senior season brought 28.5 tackles for loss, unanimous All-American recognition and four major national awards. The Rams selected him 13th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft.
The Rams years.
Aaron won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014 and AP Defensive Player of the Year in 2017, 2018 and 2020. His first ten NFL seasons included ten Pro Bowl selections and eight first-team All-Pro honors. In Super Bowl LVI, his fourth-down pressure on Joe Burrow helped seal the Rams’ 23-20 win over Cincinnati.
Giving back and coming back.
Aaron and his wife Erica founded AD99 in 2018 to support young people through education, athletics and the arts. His public work now includes youth camps and athlete mentorship alongside football and training posts. After retiring in March 2024, he announced his return to the Rams in August 2026.
Creditschronological, newest first
Football
- 2026Los Angeles RamsReturned to the defensive line
- 2022Super Bowl LVIRams defensive lineman and champion
- 2014–2023St. Louis / Los Angeles RamsDefensive tackle
- 2010–2013Pittsburgh PanthersDefensive lineman
Youth sports and mentorship
- 2026Built in the TrenchesCamp co-host with Andrew Whitworth
- 2026Team DonaldFounder and athlete mentor
- 2018AD99 FoundationCo-founder with Erica Donald
Awards
- College Football Hall of FameElected to the Class of 2026; formal induction scheduled for December 8, 2026.
- Pitt jersey retirementNo. 97 retired on November 15, 2025.
- AP NFL Defensive Player of the YearWinner for the 2017, 2018 and 2020 seasons.
- AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year2014 winner.
- Four national college awardsWon the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award in 2013.
Quotes
It's hard to put into words what it means to have my jersey retired.Aaron Donald, University of Pittsburgh Athletics
In Pitt’s September 2025 announcement of his No. 97 jersey retirement.
Trivia
- He completed his Pitt communications degree in spring 2020, fulfilling a promise to his parents.
- His father’s basement gym has a name: “the dungeon.”
- Pitt named its football performance center after him in 2019 following his seven-figure gift to the program.
Find Aaron
Follow Aaron for football, training and the work he’s doing with young athletes.
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