Aaron Donald has a pair of defensive player of the year trophies. He set a record for sacks by an interior lineman this year.
So congratulations future Rams opponents, Donald says he can still improve.
The already incredible Rams defensive tackle told Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times: “I’m definitely going to come back better.”
How he would do that seems to be the question, after a 20.5-sack season and the reality that he dominates games routinely. But after falling short in the Super Bowl, Donald said he would take a few days off before returning to work on next season, with specific plans in mind.
“All aspects of my game — everything,” he replied when asked what he could improve. “Watch the film of a game where I got slowed down and try to find a way that I can beat that and find ways to defeat it no matter what they’re trying to do. . . .
“Can’t let myself get satisfied or comfortable. So as long as I stay like that, stay hungry, we’ll be fine. I’m definitely going to come back better than I was this year.”
Donald didn’t have a sack in the postseason, though he did have one of the few hits on Tom Brady. And of course, there was the falling short of the team goal, which he has already mentioned as motivation. That’s what you want to hear out of your best player, especially when you give him the richest contract ever for a defensive player.