Matthew Stafford is having an MVP-caliber season for the Los Angeles Rams, complementing their strong defense and, more specifically, a ferocious pass rush. However, Stafford believes that there is one player worth pursuing to take their group to another level, and he is trying.
Stafford revealed recently that he has made not one, but multiple overtures to former Rams star and franchise icon Aaron Donald.
Donald’s former teammate and quarterback had a message for the former All-Pro.
Matthew Stafford to Aaron Donald: ‘Keep Lifiting Those 160s!’
GettyFormer Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald visits on the field before a game against the Miami Dolphins.
Stafford joined Donald, former fellow NFL QB Matt Ryan, agent Todd France, and ABC-2 Atlanta’s Zach Klein to discuss a variety of topics, and the 10-time Pro Bowler’s legendary workouts came up during the conversation twice.
The first time was standard, with Stafford remarking how he would be in awe of Donald “mutilating” weights daily.
The second mention came as Stafford departed the interview, telling Donald to “keep lifting.”
“AD, I’m going to hit you up again,” Stafford told Donald on “The Inner Circle Podcast” episode that dropped on November 12. Don’t you think that’s the last time! You can let them know about that, too. Keep lifting them 160s. You hear me?”
Donald offered praise for how Stafford has played this season when asked directly about the QB’s high-level performances.
He recalled thinking during their first training camp practice, “Oh yeah, we got something here.”
Stafford had gotten the ball away before Donald, one of the greatest players – not just of his era, but in NFL history – could reach him. Donald, who said Stafford “did some s***” to avoid that rush and get the ball away then, is playing “consistent football” now.
“He’s playing good ball. Take care of himself. He’s a student of the game,” Donald told the panel after Stafford left the session. “Obviously, his arm talent is like no other.
“He’s a special talent, man. And consistent football. We always talk about being consistent. He’s been doing it year in and year … and still playing at this type of level, man. And MVP chance. Like that’s just a testament of his hard work and what he’s doing, and the guys around him, man. He’s a hell of a leader.”Donald said Stafford and ex-Rams star wideout Cooper Kupp used to beat him to the facilities.
That motivated Donald to get to the building earlier, just like Stafford’s connection with Kupp wowed him during that initial training camp practice. Stafford’s greatest show of leadership would arguably be if he could woo Donald back to the Rams.
Rams HC Sean McVay Praises Aaron Donald
GettyLos Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay congratulates his players against the Dallas Cowboys.
Donald, an eight-time First Team All-Pro and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, retired following the 2023 season. However, the Rams have never completely shut the door on the 34-year-old defensive phenom.
Donald’s desire has long been the issue, not the Rams’ willingness to let him back into the fold, as head coach Sean McVay has said.
Donald simply felt he had done enough.
“When you give as much as he gave, he was full. He was complete. The thing that I remember and that I’ll always cherish the most, he let me in his life,” McVay told ESPN’s Peter Schrager on “The Schrager Hour” in October.
“This guy is a committed father. He’s an amazing husband. He gets so excited, and the joy that he has to pour into his family, and being able to let me into those things, you really get to see what’s the real purpose that drives him and why he was this, just, unbelievable competitor that brought it every single day. He’s really smart business-wise. He’s got a lot of different things. He wants to be The Rock 2, dabbling. But I just love what he’s about.”
McVay recalled Donald making play after play en route to the 2021 Super Bowl, which Stafford led the Rams to offensively. Donald had 12.5 sacks that season, and he had 8.0 sacks during the 2023 campaign.
That is not what McVay cherishes about Donald the most, though.
“More than anything, I appreciate the person and the relationship that we were able to form,” McVay told Schrager. “He’s the best to ever do it, and I am so fortunate to be around what he was, more importantly, as a man. But you talk about competitive stamina. Nobody had better competitive stamina than this guy.”
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