The Los Angeles Rams haven’t gotten back to the level of their 2018-2019 Super Bowl run, but the franchise has stayed relevant, culminating in a playoff appearance.
Head Coach Sean McVay’s team ran into a buzzsaw at Lambeau Field on Saturday afternoon, suffering a 32-18 road loss to the Green Bay Packers, effectively ending their season.
The Rams were hamstrung by an injury to their top defender, Aaron Donald, who played through a torn rib cartilage injury.
The usually disruptive Donald only recorded one tackle over the course of the game as the team’s season ended with a disappointing “thud.”
Despite that, Donald received high praise afterward from one of the league’s all-time great defenders, Michael Strahan.
Strahan: Aaron Donald is the NFL’s Defensive G.O.A.T.
Following the game, the NFL’s all-time single season sacks record holder, Strahan had high praise for Donald, who played through injury in the biggest game of the year.
Donald clearly wasn’t himself, but Strahan had nothing but respect for the former Pittsburgh Panthers standout.
“This guy is the best defensive player I’ve ever seen play the game of football,” Strahan said.
The longtime TV host and NFL legend said that Donald admitted he was “not super healthy” before the game, but Aaron still told him via text that he felt as if he was ready to go.
“But when you’re the focus of those offensive linemen, it’s like blood in the water and they’re ready to take you out,” Strahan explained.
Strahan had 22 ½ sacks in 2001 for the New York Giants, a half a sack more than the three defenders behind him on the all-time single season list: Jared Allen, Mark Gastineau, and Justin Houston.
Donald is one of the few interior linemen on the list, recording 20.5 sacks in 2018, a testament to his continued dominance since was taken#13 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft.
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