Yesterday NFL fans were shocked when they learned of Aaron Donald’s massive new contract.
But in reality, they shouldn’t be as it’s a payday long overdue for true gridiron dominators.
Donald’s contract obliterated any discussion of his rumored retirement.
Over the next two seasons, the 3x Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl champion, who signed with Kanye West’s Donda Sports last week, will receive a guaranteed $65 million.
That’s a $40 million pay raise for one of the game’s most dominant forces.
It also, according to Ian Rapport, makes Donald the highest paid, non-quarterback in NFL history.
“I’m locked back in to go get us another ring. Why not?” Donald said in a video the team posted after announcing the deal. “At SoFi Stadium, getting chills thinking about it. Let’s go to work.”
Donald’s deal is astounding and deserving.
Over the last few seasons, Donald and the Steelers’ TJ Watt have been the two most disruptive, dominant defensive players in the league.
The Steelers rewarded the 26-year-old Watt, who won the DPOY last season (and should have won it the season prior as well), with a four-year, $112 million extension, of which $80 million was guaranteed.
Watt’s new annual salary of $28.003 million made him the league’s highest-paid defensive player.
Fans can debate who’s better between Donald and Watt, but there’s no arguing that they are the two most dominant players in the league.
When offenses create plays and blocking schemes specifically for them, you can’t deny their presence on the field.
They are reminiscent of dominators of the past like Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White.
That’s part of the reason why both Watt’s and Donald’s contracts are so significant, for they are reminders of how one player can change an entire game.
And that’s why they both deserve to make NFL contract history, because Taylor and White did too.
In 1990, Taylor signed a then-record three-year deal that paid him (get this) $1.6 million annually.
That put him above Reggie White’s annual $1.5 million.
Taylor was 31 at the time. White was 29.
And if you think offenses fear Watt and Donald, you should have seen the fear in the eyes of opposing QBs when they have to face Taylor and White.
That fear and dominance win championships.
Taylor, White and now Donald all got theirs.
Watt will hopefully get his soon.
In a league that is biased towards quarterbacks in regards to awards and compensation, and rightfully so, it’s refreshing to see Donald get his.
For it’s a reminder that there are others who are almost as, if not equally, important as the man under center.
And Aaron Donald is definitely one of those men.
