Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is where he was born on May 23, 1991. In the NFL, he is a Defensive Tackle Donald was the middle child of three in a blue-collar family in Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighborhood.
Aaron’s father, Archie, introduced him to exercise to add more structure to his son’s life. Aaron subsequently admitted that he was “lazy as a child.”
By the time he was 14, he and his father awoke at 4:30 a.m. and worked out for nearly two hours in the home gym that Archie had installed in the basement.
Donald attended Penn Hills High School, where he played football under the direction of head coach Ron Graham.
As a senior, he recorded 63 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks and was named All-State Class AAAA First Team in his final two seasons.
Additionally, he began as an offensive guard. Despite scholarship offers from Toledo, Akron, and Rutgers, he opted to attend the institution of his birth, Pittsburgh.
Aaron Donald Early Years
Aaron was born into a working-class household. His father, Archie, was a former college football player who dreamed of getting chosen into the NFL but had to retire due to injuries received. His hopes were cut short due to a damaged patella.
Donald’s high school performance led him to the University of Pittsburgh, where he continued to succeed on the football field. During his collegiate career, he established several records.
He received various trophies, including the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Outland Trophy.
Donald’s early football prowess prepared the path for his professional career, and he rapidly established himself as one of the top defensive players in the NFL.
His early life and career have been distinguished by a great desire and passion for the sport, allowing him to achieve remarkable success both on and off the field.
Aaron Donald Parents: Anita Goggins and Archie Donald
When Archie was young, his father left the family. As a result, he did not have a father when he was growing up. Archie did not hold back in his efforts to teach morals and discipline to his kid, even though he hailed from a modest family.
Archie Donald, Aaron Donald’s father, married Anita Goggins and had a happy marriage. They brought into the world three members of their family: two sons and a girl. Unfortunately, Archie and Anita split the following year in 1999. Since then, the family has been living in their own homes.
While attending the University of Toledo, the oldest son, Archie, was also active in the football program there. On the other hand, unlike his younger brother, he did not consider it to be a vocation. In addition to that, he shares a close relationship with his younger brother Aaron.
As a result, he looks up to his younger brother and takes great pride in what he has accomplished.
Akita, the oldest daughter, is a licensed mental health professional. She manages to juggle simultaneously being a successful wife, a proud sister, and a devoted mother.
Aaron Donald’s father
Archie Donald always had a muscular physique, even as a kid. In a similar vein, Donald was participating in sports at the collegiate level and training weights.
Additionally, he was a member of the college squad that played soccer. He reportedly seriously entertained the idea of playing in the National Football League.
Unfortunately, he fractured his kneecap while competing, which made the situation much more severe. At first, he was unwilling to give up football, but eventually, he was forced to, and after that, he was forced to acquire work as a laborer.
The senior tax inspector was Aaron’s father’s occupation before he retired. In his later years, he owned a business that specialized in commercial cleaning.
Archie Donald was finally able to live the life he had always dreamed of leading after he retired, mainly due to the enormous financial success enjoyed by his sons.
In an interview, Macho athlete Aaron said it was the finest feeling ever when he told his parents that it was time for them to retire and that it was all up to him.
About Aaron Donald’s mother
Anita Goggins is Aaron Donald’s mother. Unfortunately, there isn’t much information on her on the internet, but we do know she divorced in 1999 and has been living independently since then. We don’t know whether she interacts with her children because Aaron doesn’t post or talk much about her.
Aaron Donald’s Success in College
As a true freshman, Donald served as a reserve defensive end for Pitt and participated in all 13 of the team’s games. He finished the game with 11 tackles, three of which were for losses, and two sacks.
Donald’s breakout season came in 2011 when he was a sophomore and had just gotten into the starting lineup.
He had an outstanding season. In addition to being chosen to the Big East’s second team, he was recognized for his 47 tackles, 16 of which went for a loss of yardage, 11 sacks, and one forced fumble.
He was named to the first team of All-Big East after making 64 tackles as a junior, including 18.5 for a loss, 5.5 sacks, and one forced fumble.
His performance earned him the honor. During his senior year, he established himself as one of the most productive defensive players in the NCAA.
He was a member of the NCAA. He finished with 59 stops, including a career-high 28.5 for loss, 11 sacks, and four forced fumbles, in addition to his other impressive statistics.
He was honored as the best defensive player in the ACC and was presented with the award.
Aaron Donald’s Professional career
He made his NFL debut on September 7, 2014, against the Minnesota Vikings. He ended with four tackles, but the team lost the game. Soon after, he showed off his abilities in other games.
He finished the 2014 season as the best defensive rookie in the NFL, earning him a spot on the NFL’s All-Rookie Team.
In the 2015 season, Donald started his career as a Rams defensive starter against the Seattle Seahawks. Twice during the 2015 season, he was named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week.
During the 2016 season, he received many penalties for illegal actions and unsportsmanlike conduct. Despite this, the NCC named Donald defensive player of the week twice.
After the 2017 season, the Rams decided to add a fifth year to his rookie deal.
Super Bowl LIII was his first Super Bowl, and his team fell to the Patriots 13-3 in 2018.
He was now the highest-paid defensive lineman in NFL history when the Rams extended his deal by six years and $139 million, with $89 million guaranteed
Aaron Donald Biography in Brief
| Name: | Aaron Donald |
| Nick Name: | AD |
| Age: | 31 |
| Born: | May 23, 1991 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight: | 284 lbs |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America (USA) |
| Net Worth: | $60 Million |
| Wife/Girlfriend | Erica Donald |
| Relationship Status |
Married |
| Father | Archie Donald |
| Mother | Anita Donald |
| Siblings | 1 Brother – Archie Donald Jr. |
| Social Media |
Twiiter – Instagram – Facebook |
Aaron Donald’s accomplishments and awards
- Pro Bowl 2014–2018
- First-team All-Pro 2015–2018
- NFL Defensive Player of the Year 2017 and 2018
- NFL sacks leader 2018
- NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year 2014
- PFWA All-Rookie Team 2014
- ACC Defensive Player of the Year 2013
- Bronko Nagurski Trophy 2013
- Chuck Bednarik Award 2013
- Lombardi Award 2013
- Outland Trophy 2013
- Unanimous All-American 2013
- First-team All-ACC 2013
- First-team All-Big East 2012
- Second-team All-Big East 2011
Aaron Donald’s Personal Life
NFL fans have been curious to learn who Aaron Donald’s wife is. Erica Sherman is the wife of American football great Aaron Donald. She has done an excellent job of juggling her work, famous wife status, and family life. She has also avoided popularity by maintaining a minimal internet profile.
Jaeda and Aaron Jr., the children of Aaron from a previous relationship, now call Erica their stepmother. In September 2021, the couple was blessed with the birth of their first child, a son named Aaric.
On Aaron’s 30th birthday, May 23, 2021, she posted a message on Instagram announcing that she was pregnant.
Aaron Donald’s Net Worth
With an annual payment of $31.7 million, Los Angeles Rams defensive player Aaron Donald is the highest-paid defensive tackle in the National Football League in terms of average annual compensation. His yearly earnings are much more than the athlete who comes in second. Spotrac places DeForest Buckner of the Indianapolis Colts at the $21 million mark as the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.
Donald had a contract with the Rams through the 2024 season. Donald has amassed total earnings of $128.6 million throughout his first nine seasons in the league.
Interesting Facts about Aaron Donald
- In addition to being a freak in the weight room and on the field of football play, Donald is also a freak at the dinner table. To maintain his body, he must eat many calories daily. Ram’s senior dietitian Joey Blake said his body would still require 2,817 calories to function even if Donald did nothing in a day.
- Archie Jr., Donald’s younger brother, was a star college football player. Up until 2010, Archie Jr. participated in the University of Toledo’s Rockets basketball team. After his stint at Toledo, Archie Jr. racked up 412 career tackles, good for eighth all-time.
- Since high school, Donald has been in a long-term relationship with Jaelynn Blakey: Donald has been in a long-term relationship with Jaelynn Blakey since high school. The pair graduated from Penn Hills High School in 2010. Blakey prefers celebrities’ backgrounds, unlike many sports celebrities’ wives. They have two children together, Aaron Jr. and Jaeda. Both have been spotted cheering on their father during Rams games.
