I'm going to try and do my job and try to make as many plays as I can and help my team win.
Aaron Donald
It's not that hard to be good, you can be good off raw talent. But I feel like it's that extra step, doing work and putting a body of work in and doing things when nobody else is watching. When nobody else is telling you to do it, you're pushing yourself to do it.
I know you ain't gonna win every single one-on-one, but in my mind, I'm supposed to.
There's always room for improvement. That's my mindset.
I don't see myself as somebody special. I just see myself as Aaron, the same guy I've been all my life.
I fell like I'm a well-rounded football player.
You can never be satisfied until you are done playing this game. So I'm just working.
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.
I was a big Steelers fan.
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.
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.
The more experience you got the more things you are able to go through, and the ups and downs through a season that you had I don't think it can do anything but make you that much better.
Anytime you get rewarded for all the work you put into this game, you're going to be happy about it.
Pittsburgh's home. This is where it all started. This is always going to be home. I always have to get back to Pittsburgh and get some work done.
When my name is called I'm going to go in there and give it everything I've got.
Any time you go on the field, you want to dominate as a unit.
My main focus is playing football and giving it all I got. I'm trying to go out there and make plays and help my team win.
At the end of the day you never know what team still wants what player. You just never know with the draft.
When plays present themselves, I can't miss 'em. I got to make 'em.
Any time you can get the ball back to the offense and they put points on the board, you can win games.
You've got to have positives and negatives about you. I think that's a good negative, that the only thing they could say about me is my size.
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.
It's a lot more fun when you're winning than losing.
You have to watch out because being an athlete and playing at the college level with the opportunity to go the NFL, you're under the microscope and everybody's watching. There are people that look up to us. So you have to watch out for what you do and who you're around.
I'm a football player, you know? My film talks for me.
Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time spots. That's who I want to be.
I never let nothing ever get to me. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Pitt will always be my school and I'm honored to be able to support the Blue and Gold.
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.
You always want to have success, but you never think it will be as big as it is.
All I can do is do my part and keep trying to open up eyes with what I did on the football field, what I did in my career. Just go out there and try to compete and shock a couple more people.
I'm just going to go play football - fly around and make some plays. That's all that matters.
I love L.A., but Pittsburgh just is home. This is what I know. This is where I was born and raised. This is what molded me to make me who I am.
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.
When I'm retired someday, when I'm done playing football, that's when I'll be relaxing and look back at some things.
You never know what can happen.
It's a headache, chasing a guy around. I'd rather play against a quarterback that sits still.
When I have one-on-ones, I usually win those.
My main goal is trying to win the Super Bowl.
I feel like I'm an inside guy, I feel like I'm a three-tech or nose tackle.
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.
Any time you get a Hall of Fame player that even knows my name, you're going to be pumped up about that.
I have experience at every position... I think that's a plus for me.
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'm just a football player.
I'm just a guy. There's nothing special about me.
It's an offensive league.
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.
The big-time player makes big-time plays in big-time games and that's what we need to keep doing.
I'm just playing my game and trying to help my team win. Whatever happens, happens.
