Aaron Donald has become the best defensive player in football while playing defensive tackle.
But the two-time reigning defensive player of the year wasn’t always a defensive tackle. In fact, Donald didn’t envision himself playing defense at all.
It was his love for food that steered Donald to the defensive line.
“I mean I grew up playing you know like middle linebacker since Little League, so growing up I always thought I would play running back you know,” Donald said on PFT Live on Thursday. “But I ate my way out of that position, so you know I started playing defensive line probably around 12 or 13 and just been stuck there ever since.”
Donald won’t win defensive player of the year for a third consecutive year with Chandler Jones or Stephon Gilmore expected to take the title Saturday night at NFL Honors. But Donald still finished a fifth consecutive All-Pro season with 12.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
