If anything, it just motivates me to work a little harder. Anytime your organization invests a big amount of money like that into you, you want to do everything and more to thank them.
— Aaron Donald
When I have one-on-ones, I usually win those.
My senior year I felt I put a lot more time into the offseason to make a lot more happen. Going out my senior year, I felt like I did everything I wanted to do and more. I felt like I dominated and I feel comfortable going to the next level and that I'm ready.
I feel like I've got a lot of football things I need to work on to have that success that I want to have in this league.
All I can do is play football, put it on film.
It's a whole different world once you get into games. You have people actually trying to hit you, the speed of the game's a lot faster, you have a lot of different things you need to check and see. It's a whole different world up there once game time comes.
When my name is called I'm going to go in there and give it everything I've got.
It ain't just one guy, it's a team game, and I'll get myself better, I'll keep working on my technique and trying to find ways to free myself and keep making plays.
My main goal is trying to win the Super Bowl.
You never know what's going to happen in the draft. You just wait until your name gets called and then things happen.
You always want to have success, but you never think it will be as big as it is.
As long as somebody is making sacks, I'm happy.
The big-time player makes big-time plays in big-time games and that's what we need to keep doing.
I'm just a guy. There's nothing special about me.
I never let nothing ever get to me. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
When I'm retired someday, when I'm done playing football, that's when I'll be relaxing and look back at some things.
It was a dream come true to play for the University of Pittsburgh. My experience as a Panther is something that influences my life every day and I want to pay that forward.
I know you ain't gonna win every single one-on-one, but in my mind, I'm supposed to.
After games, you think about the play you missed.
Any time you go on the field, you want to dominate as a unit.
It's my mindset that I'm not where I want to be. I still want to be better, and I just want to stay humble about it. It's not an act. It's just how I am.
I've got a good team, got great agents that I know are going to handle the business side, and I trust those guys.
I still want to make more plays, but you know it's going to come. You gotta keep playing, playing hard, continue to study, continue to get myself better, working on my technique, and it will come. Just gotta keep working.
It's the same thing I have been doing since I was 5, playing the game of football. Going out there when my number is called and trying to make plays.
I've got leverage on a guy that's 6-6, and I'm strong enough to push 600-plus pounds off on a double-team.
I love football, but being away from it is tough.
The word thank you ain't enough. You've got to show it, so just go out there and play at a higher level, and instead of saying thank you, show it.
I always tell my dad he was training me to be a pro before he even knew it.
It doesn't ever hurt to try different stuff.
You've got to try to find ways to dominate in any way - it ain't about getting sacks, it's about making the big plays. If that's pressing the quarterback, making them throw a pick - whatever you've got to do to try to dominate the game.
I'm just a football player.
I'm just going out there and doing my job, so whatever it is - if it's a hard slide protection, if it's a double team, or even a triple team or a chip - whatever it is, I'm just finding ways to win, so that's about it.
Any time you get a Hall of Fame player that even knows my name, you're going to be pumped up about that.
We just have to try to play ball. We go week-to-week trying to find ways to win games. That is what it comes down to.
I don't care if it was 2 o'clock in the morning after a night game. I had to break down the film by myself before I watched it with the team. I wanted to see everything I did wrong and did right or I wouldn't be able to sleep.
You can never be satisfied until you are done playing this game. So I'm just working.
It's a lot more fun when you're winning than losing.
Once you start worrying about things, you get down about yourself, whatever it may be.
I'm always getting doubled; I just have to find ways to beat it. Can't use that as an excuse. Still got to get to the quarterback someway, somehow.
Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time spots. That's who I want to be.
I'm just going to go play football - fly around and make some plays. That's all that matters.
I was a big Steelers fan.
You never know what can happen.
A lot of my success, and a lot of who I am now, is because of my dad, and the way he raised me and taught me how to have a work ethic.
I'm just playing my game and trying to help my team win. Whatever happens, happens.
It's an offensive league.
People are going to doubt Aaron Donald and they're going to like Aaron Donald. But at the end of the day, my job is to make plays and let them speak for me.
I have experience at every position... I think that's a plus for me.
Pitt will always be my school and I'm honored to be able to support the Blue and Gold.
